44 DUTCH BULBS AND GARDENS 



bulb collectors, somewhere about 1800. As yet 

 there are only three varieties differing from the 

 original and first discovered kind. These are 

 pale blue, white, and pinkish pale blue, all 

 reared from seed, and none, in the opinion of 

 the uninitiated, to compare with the original blue, 

 —a colour bluer than anything else that grows, 

 except perhaps gentians, and though not so deep 

 and intense, almost more brilliant and striking 

 than they. Coming into flower almost before 

 crocus, growing low and close to the ground, 

 and of this rare and exquisite colour, a field of 

 them in flower against the pearly paleness of 

 the cold landscape is a sight not to be for- 

 gotten. In England, though they are admired, 

 they are hardly yet grown so much as one 

 would expect, seeing that they will endure hard 

 treatment and a poor soil, and, if untouched, 

 year after year send their blue flowers through 

 the grass. Immense numbers are grown in 

 Holland, though not round Haarlem, more in 

 the direction of Hillegom, where the land is 

 cheap. The little bulbs increase rapidly, from 

 offsets which grow around the parent. They can 

 also be easily raised from seed, and, contrary to the 

 habit of most bulbs, come to the flowering stage 



