HAARLEM. 175 



conical thatched roof, supported entirely by a single up- 

 right post in the centre : it is a mere garden parapluie for 

 shunning a shower : at a little distance, no exertion of fan- 

 cy is requisite to find in it a striking resemblance to some 

 gigantic species of mushrooom, the centre post represent- 

 ing the stipes, and the circular thatched roof the pileus. 

 Exterior to the pleasure-grounds, several noble avenues of 

 trees, connected with the Wood of Haarlem, and the pub- 

 lic roads passing through it, blend and harmonise with 

 them, thus tending greatly to increase the ornament of the 

 place. 



The neighbourhood of Haarlem has long been noted for 

 the production of excellent kitchen-garden seeds. At pre- 

 sent, however, these are chiefly raised by market-gardeners 

 and small farmers at some little distance from the town ; 

 and, as far as we could learn, no very particular precautions 

 are taken to prevent the intermixture of varieties, by the 

 blossoms of one kind being contaminated by the pollen of 

 another. For a number of years past, Haarlem has been 

 more distinguished for its flower-nurseries. 



Kreps and Company. 

 Leaving the Palace grounds, we paid a visit to Messrs 

 Kreps and Company, whose bloemistry is in the neigh- 

 bourhood. At their warehouse we saw a more extensive 

 collection of flower-roots than we had seen in the morning. 

 At this season the bulbs are here kept in an apartment 

 lined with wood, in the midst of which is a stage, contain- 

 ing a number of moveable shelves, open in front. On these 

 the flower-roots are laid, loosely or not heaped on each 

 other, and the sub-varieties are separated merely by squared 

 rods of wood. While the tendency to dampness is restrain- 

 ed by means of the timber lining, air is permitted to circu- 



