THE ARISTOCRAT OF THE BULB GARDENS 89 



then in fashion. In an old miscellany of that 

 time there is a delightful conversation on the 

 tulip subject, the writer purporting to have over- 

 heard a talk between two people he could not see 

 on the behaviour and condition of persons of 

 importance. Very strange behaviour it sounded — 

 how a crowned head was feeling the weather, how a 

 favourite general was doing well, seeing his situation, 

 and, finally, how one speaker would show the other 

 a Painted Lady and a Chimney Sweep in the same 

 bed. The writer describes himself as hastening 

 after to share the sight, and as being delighted to 

 find the conversation referred to nothing scandalous, 

 but to " the beautiful vegetables " then in fashion. 

 He may have been delighted, we can give him the 

 benefit of the doubt — possibly he did not frequent 

 country houses and large suburban villas. He 

 could hardly have done so, else the talk would 

 not have had the charm of novelty for him, for 

 wheresoever two or three glove -gardeners are 

 gathered together — or even where there is only 

 one — the specific names of varieties of the flower 

 then in fashion fall like rain on the interested and 

 uninterested alike. 



Not that the Dutch grower has any quarrel 

 with the glove -gardeners, he has none at all ; if 



12 



