Jane BO, 1887. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
529 
that m Haarlem the Tulip fanciers existed, endeavoured to suoply their 
wants for this co3tly fashion among these growers, who thereby received a 
gieat stimulant to the trade, which soon degenerated into extravagant 
speculation ; and as fashions, particularly of such a costly nature, never list 
'very long, it is quite natural that two years afterwards, when the fashion had 
changed and Tulip fliwers were no more wanted, the Tulip trade fell to the 
aground. ’ r 
From the publication above-named I find a list of the names of the 
-tulips at that time known among the trade, consisting of 121 different 
varieties (although I certainly believe that a good many more sorts were 
Known at that time, although not in this list). The greater portion of the 
■sorts in this list are not in cultivation at present; but I, bowevir, find 
among them six sorts still in my collection at the present day — viz., 
Isruid van Haarlem, Geeltrood van Leijd-n (red and yellow of Leiden), 
•u-eneralissimo, Lac van Rhyn, Nons (wit), Somerschoon (Summer Beauty). 
. It appears that at the time when the greatest speculation was going on 
'the Tulip3 were soli by weight, and they were handed over at very high 
•prices, especially considering the so much higher value of money in those 
times. 
There was in those days a committee nominated out of the florists, who 
assembled almost every day, and all the Tulip roots intended f r sale wer; 
‘bought to this committee, who took the bulbs, weighed them carefully, and 
•sold them to the visitors of the sale, of which at that time there were always 
.agoodnumberreadyto tuy accoiding to their fancy, and at all fancy prices. 
The Tulips were there sold per root, hut also at a certain price per Ace 
weight (the smallest medicinal weight, 0728 Acen, being equal to 1 lb. 
In these times almost every man in all poutions of life, either noblemen 
-or tradesmen of the lowest class in society, even coachmen, letter carriers, 
carpenters, and weavers were then more or less actively engaged in the Tulip 
trade, stimulated by the heavy sums of money the bulbs so often fetched, 
and the apparent large profits which they brought to the lucky speculators. 
In order to give you some idea as to what pric s some sorts fetched at 
this time I may mention the following : 
Oae bulb of Geeltrood van Leyden, weighing 515 Acen, sold first for 
40 francs, or £1 and a few days later for 550 francs, or £40. 
One bulb of Gmla, weighing 4 Acen, was sold at first for 20 francs, or 
about 32s., and two or three weeks afterwards was sold for 225 franos, or 
about £18. 
One bulb of Admiral de Man, weighing 130 4-cen, 3 o'.d at first for 30s., 
•was sold a few days later for 175 francs, or about £15. 
One bulb of Generalissimo, weighing 10 Acen, first sold for about £8, 
was sold a few days later for £88. 
One bulb of Scipion, weighing 1000 Acen, was first sold for about £6, 
and a few days later for £180. 
One of YeUowcrown, sold at first for £2, was sold within a month for over 
£ 100 . 
One of S witser, sold for £5, was sold soon after for £150. 
One of White Crown, soli for £10, fetchei a few days later the sum of 
£300. ’ “ 
1000 Acen of Viceroy was sold at first for £300, and a short time after¬ 
wards for £600. 
1000 Acen of Coorenaerts, sold at first for £5, fetched a few days later the 
price of £40. 
One thousand Acen of Aulenae de, sold at first for 70 francs or £6, was 
■ sold a few days later for £600, and so on, the price p°r Ace being higber or 
lower according to the public favour which each individual happened to 
enjoy at the time. 
One bulb of Semper Augustus was sold for the sum of £176, with the 
special condition that the purchaser should not be allowed to sell it agiin 
■without the written consent of the seller, and for ten Tu'ip roots in ten 
different sorts the sum of £1000 was offered, which the proprietor refused 
to accept, as he considered that to be less than the actual va^p. 
Respecting the above-named variety, Viceroy, a most curious story is 
told in one of these ancient books of a Tulip fancier, who was so very 
anxious to get po=session of this Tulip, but not having sufficient money to 
pay for it in full, he arranged with tbe seller to give nim in exchange for 
-one bulb the undernamed articles, besides a sum of silver money, also 2 tons 
of corn, 6 tons of Rice, four fattened bullocks, a dozen sheep, e’ght fattened 
pigs, two barrels of wine, four barr Is of beer, two barrels of butter, 
•1000 pounds of cheese, one bed, with various wearing apparel, the whole 
calculated to represent £210. Another fancier exchanged the freehold pro¬ 
perty of 12 acres of land for one Tulip root, and at a public sale one morn¬ 
ing in Haarlem, £800 was realised for only a few Tulips. A very good 
dwelling-house, now still stinding in one of the principal stree f s of Haar¬ 
lem, was also exchanged for one Tulip root. An inhabitant of Brussels at 
■ the time was proprietor of a small gaiden there, where the nature of the 
soil appeared to possess a particular natural power to bring seedling Tulips 
■to break, and thus greatly to improve their value. A good many dealers in 
Tulips sent their seedling breeders there to be p’anted at a pretty high 
.premium per sr ason. 
All sorts of Tulips were sold and re-sold day after day, always at an 
advanced price, which, I may say, made some people wild in their extra¬ 
vagant desire to gather riches. Several weavers in fairly good ciicumstances 
left off working and sold their looms for the purpose of laying out all th<4r 
money and employing all their time in the trade of Tulips. Daring the 
time when the Tulip roots were in a growing state in the grounds, they 
could, as a matter of course, not be sold by w. ight, but, however, the same 
extravagant trade was still kept going by written contract blanks, which the 
tradesmen carried in their pockets ready made, and only requiring to be 
•filled up and signed. These contracts contamed an accurate stipulation of 
the place where the bulb sold had been planted, and the purchaser had the 
right to take it up when withered, but could only do so in company of the 
seller, to avoid fraud, while the gardens where these valuable Tulips were 
planted were watched day and night. A strange custom with some of these 
private sales seems to have been adopted—viz., when a Tulip bulb sold 
■ during winter was to be taken up in summer, both the seller and the buyer 
went together to the place where the bulb had been planted, and after the 
bulb had been taken out of the ground it was placed in a small box, which 
was carefully sealed, and the box in this state was kept by the seller, while 
■the purchaser was allowed a certain time, probably fixed by contract, to 
decide whether he would accept it at the price and pay for it or refuse it, 
when the transaction could be conside ed as undone; but the party thus 
refusing had to pay a certain per-centage for wine as penalty. It appears 
that several of these private sales had been effected on every curious con¬ 
ditions, but what little ha3 been said of them in the way of explanation how 
it was done. This has been described in such obscure and incompn h o nsible 
words that it cannot be considered an explication at all, and leaves it 
entirely obscure to posterity. 
The most common Tulips, which in former years bal been thrown away 
as being surplus stock and of no value, was then brought to the market of 
tie florists and sold at high p*ices to tie f mciers. 
It may be interesting when I mention an ex rict of some few of the 
highest priced Tulips, which at thattim; were con-idered of most value ; — 
Admiral Leifkens .. .. 
Catelyn of Entchuizen .. 
weigbirg 
40) 
215 
Acen 4 4 00 f ., or 
.. 6400 
£367 
450 
Ballaert . 
S99 
15;0 ,. 
126 
Bruine purper. 
32-1 
2025 „ 
170 
Bl 0 }enburger. 
443 
13 0 
103 
Brabanson . 
512 
1M0 „ 
85 
Fama. 
158 
700 „ 
58 
G jada. 
Js7 
3380 „ 
278 
Grebber . 
523 
H85 „ 
124 
J ohn Catel> n. 
Sjmerschoon (otiil now ia 
ti 
6i9 
i» 
2U0 „ 
130 
cultivation). 
388 
1010 „ 
85 
Viceroy. 
a 
410 
♦i 
6700 „ 
553 
All the other sorts in this prire list off--red at var'ous prices between £5 
to £200 and £300 tach. 
After this trade had gme on for four years a general meeting has been 
held of the florists on February 3, 1637, at which it appears that a change in 
the market took place as if suddenly the eyes of the foolish speculators had 
been opened. Every one of them wanted to sell, but could not find anybody 
to buy, and from that day the speculation fell to the ground, and in its crash 
brought ruin and sorrow over the whole of florists and Tulip fanciers, which 
must have been felt severely through all classes of society, doing consider¬ 
able injury to the trade at large. I may presume that during this extraor¬ 
dinary time many singular occurrences have taken pla-e, of which it might 
have been interesting for posterity to know tbe details, but as they appear 
not to have been nottd down by anybody then living, we mustcontent our¬ 
selves with what we know of it. Certainly it has be n a most extraordinary 
occurrence, and shows how under a combination of political or domestic 
circ amstances so m iny people can be brought to ridiculous doings, which at 
the end must bring rum ana sorrow over their heads. 
We now come to an altogether distinct class, the so-cal'ed “ Parrot 
Tulips,” which are we l worth our attention. From where they originated 
we cannot siy for certain, but I am of op nion that they originated from a 
monstrous sport out of the late or fancy Tulips, among which they are 
occasionally found. Their curious form of flower and the very striking 
beauty of their showy colours may have made them worth growing in 
qu intities. 
They may be ignored by those florists who claim the right to say what is 
and what is not beautiful, but as I am not bound to observe the laws that 
regulate the form, shape, and perf ct markings, I prize this class very highly 
on account of their smgular p cturesque appearance, and their large and 
exceedingly brilliant colours, wale it is a fact that tbe demand for them 
from all quarters is very considerable indeel, and has been increasing 
considerably of late. 
They are unequal'ed for groups in mixed bo-ders or con'p : cuous places 
in front of shrubs, and they also prove very oraam utal if plint.d in hang¬ 
ing baskets or other hanging ornaments. 
The variety in this c ase is very limited, thei- co'ours ringing bet veen 
deep red and pure yellow ; but they ar •, nevertheless beautiful and attrac¬ 
tive, and more partuul rly so those of decided colours, such as Monstre 
cramoisi, Rub o major, Lut o major, &o. 
Besides the clisses of Tul ps which I have men'ioned and described, 
there are some sorts which are grown and sold under filename of Botanical 
Tulips, because they do not quite be'ong to the clas-es I have spoken of, 
but which are desirable for their particular property and beauty. 
Tutipa Clusiana, a small miniature Tulip ; ve-y heaudful. 
„ Florentina, yellow, and very sweet s - .en r td. 
„ Gculis soils, crimson, with dark bottom. 
„ Persica or Breyniana, fragrant yellow; small flower, and very 
dwarf and neat. 
,. Eichleri, orange ; of recent introduction. 
„ Greigi, light orange, with blotched foliage ; also of recent intro¬ 
duction. 
„ Ilaageri, red. 
In me botauical works are f >und several more names of Tulips which 
are not in general cultivation, probably because they do not attract, the ey es 
of florists by beauty or other properties. 
Culture of the Tulip. —The best soil for the culture of the Tulip is a 
rich, rather light, well-drained sandy loam. A be! of suflinent size for 
planting the bu bs shou'd be dug at least 12 or 14 inch* s deep. The Tulips 
should then be planted 4 inch s apart each wav, preseei deep enough to 
keep them in their places, an 1 covered with moul 1 to the depth of 3 inch s 
on the sides of tbe bed, and 5 inches in the centre. This precaution is 
necessary that water may not stand on the bed during the winter. When 
the b d is planted and covered it maybe left to the weather until the Tulips 
come up, or about March 1st. A slight protection of litter is then required, 
as the frost, if severe, has a tendency to check the bloom. Our climate is so 
variable that it will well repay the trouble or cost of covering at night and 
remove in the morning, in case snow for some time should not prevent this ; 
but if the foliage is left for a long time covered up it has a tendency to draw 
up, and weakens the plant. 
When the flowers appear and they are protected from the Bnnby a light 
canvas, the period of bloom may be ke t fi up for ih-ee or four weeks. The 
colours are generally better if not shaded at all, but in that case the bloom, 
particularly in hot weather, would soon he ov r. Sometimes a sing'e day’s 
hot sun would completely spoil them. Wnen tbe fl ewers begm to fade they 
should be cut away and removed from the bed. I must, however, here men- 
