172 DUTCH BULBS AND GARDENS 



as their trade was increasing so rapidly. These flower-fields, 

 so neatly and cleanly kept, made very beautiful surroundings 

 to our town. When the hyacinths are in full flower they 

 are, with their different colours, row upon row, a very 

 beautiful sight, and many people are thus attracted to visit 

 our country. For bulb growers themselves it is a pleasant 

 time ; they all meet and talk over the new sorts, and discuss 

 their culture with no small degree of excitement ; they 

 collect under the shelters erected over the best sorts, and 

 there stand smoking their pipes and relating to each other 

 their various experiences and the experiments they have 

 tried. Prices are no longer so high as in 1730. We have 

 known, even in our own day, the " Ophir," now become so 

 common that it has scarce any value at all, sold for 3600 

 guldens, which shows what people are willing to pay for a 

 rare flower. 



