74 LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS. 
bling the city of Haerlem is said to have derived 
not less than ten millions sterling in the space 
of three years! 
It is related that, during the prevalence of 
this mania, a sailor, having brought some goods 
to a merchant who cultivated Tulips on specu¬ 
lation, had a herring given to him for his break¬ 
fast, with which he walked away. As he passed 
through the garden, he saw some roots lying 
there, and, mistaking them for onions, he picked 
them up and ate them with his herring. At 
this moment the merchant, coming forward and 
discovering what had happened, exclaimed in 
despair, “Inconsiderate man, thou hast ruined 
me with thy breakfast! I could have regaled a 
king with it.” 
From the extraordinary favour thus shown to 
the Tulip, the species were soon multiplied 
to such a degree that in 1740 the Baden-Dur- 
lach Garden at Carlsruhe contained not fewer 
than two thousand one hundred and fifty-nine 
sorts; and the garden of Count Pappenheim 
boasted at one time of five thousand varieties. 
The estimation in which the Turks still hold 
Tulips is little inferior to that which they for- 
