THE EJKIA' TULIP. 131 



and Ilanljun (•(incur iii rcjiresL'iilini,'- the early section ass (if 

 the lirsl importance, From the liiyli standard of technical 

 judging' that prevailed in days when the tulip was in the 

 lieight of its fame. The ttdips to wdiieli the flurists give 

 attention now are late tuli[is exclusively; they can see no 

 merit in the early ones, and from their point of view there 

 can be no (jucstion as to the soundness of their choice. The 

 early tuliyis give us none of the rare [lencilliiigs ot llames 

 and feathers; the p)vn-e white basis proper to a tulip nf 

 high lireeding is unknown anmngst them ; and the slidrt 

 tazza form, smooth and evenly exjuuided, like Hebe's enp, 

 they cannot show, (,'onsequently, the early tulips have been 

 thrown out of the select catalogue, and the lovers of gay 

 flowers who care little for fanciful markings that are very 

 cdstly, but care much for abundant colour at a low price, 

 maybe fully gratified, and after all may still congratulate 

 themselves that the cheap early tulips were once upon a 

 time valued above ruliies, and that only wealthy persons could 

 afford to use them for the adornment of their gardens. AVhen 

 the bulb season is in full tide at Haarlem, the tulips make 

 a marvellous display of colour. Li the later days of Ajiril 

 the hyacinths are in perfection, and as they decline at the 

 dawn of the merry month of May, the early tulips come 

 forth in sheets of crimson^ scarlet, purjile, glittering sih'ei-, 

 and refulgent gold. In the way of fluwers, it is a cpicstidu 

 if any place in the whole world can match the disjilay at 

 Haarlem and Overween, where some 700 acres of land are 

 occuj^ied with bulbs, the great bulk of which bloom at one 

 and the same time. To see the sight is, comparatively 

 speaking, such an easy matter, that it may be reCdmmended 

 as a proper subject for an excursion, especiidly, too, as it is 

 at the very time when the Netherlands are in every way 



