74 LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS. 
not loss 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 speculation,had 
a herring given to him for his breakfast, 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, ex¬ 
claimed 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-Durlach Garden at 
Carslrube 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 formerly 
enjoyed in Holland. They are never tired of ad¬ 
miring its elegant stem, the beautiful vase which 
