Bloomington herald. [volume] (Bloomington, I. T. [Iowa]) 1840-1849, 1843-05-12
Flower Markets Of holland.

r QUIET sNuEHetS " XAOsaOHUs
Major Davezac gives the following &C
count of the superb flower markets Of Hol-
land:
At Amsterdam, Utrecht, Rotterdam. the
Hague, and, above all. a, Harlem. the flo
raj city, crowds of individuals Of all classes
of society are seen assembled al the flow
er markets, held twice a week in each Of
these great cities. The rich attends them
to make exclusively his own, by purchase.
the emeralds. the rubies, the sapphires of
the vegetable kingdom. in addition to
those which he already possessed. formed
in depths of the earth through the slow
elabosions of ages; but, in spite of his
covetous eagerness to obtain the monopo-
ly even of these natures treasures, the in
digent too has seen these dazzling gems
of the spring; he has inhaled their per-
fume; and while the variega,ed camelia.
the purple Iages,remia ; the gaudy, inodo-
rous cactus. the more sweet scented but
still gorgeous peony. and all the costly
exotics are borne away to spread great
er lustre over the abode of opulence the
humble violet, the rose. (now thought 10
be vulgar flower, though still blushing
Its loneliness and exhaling the most exqui
site OF fragrance.) are taken TO the home
OF the poor, TO ligh. the gloom of his low
~ shed-to give sweetness 10 the little air
he is yet allowed TO breathe. I always
attended these markets. and | do no, re-
member Crowded as they always are) ev-
er TO have heard a quarrel there. An el-
egance of manners, nay, of language,
seemed inspired by the grace and beauty
of the ephemeral gardens; every one
present acted and spoke as if he feared eli.
Their TO injure by brutal acts. or to soil bv
the expression of indicate Thoughts, these
tender and fragile treasures of the spring.
All clustered around them, like bees and
all ike bees. appeared to gather from
them nothing but sweetness. There is a
tradition a, the Hague, tina, Johannes Sc
c"ndus, the Dutch poet who sang of kiss
es' whose honse. near the flower mark.
els IN That city, is still to be seen,) always
wrote with nosegay on stable. After
nearing OF this, as read his Basia over
again, fancled in the poetry. besides the
charm inherent 10 the subject, the aroma
OF The flowers he loved. Here NAV be
allowed. without depressing much, to
speak OF the harves. of roses which al
ways draws to the fields where they are
cultivated, near the Hague numerous WIS.,
i'ors. In the month Of May nothing can
be imagined more beautiful than the as
pect OF these rose fields. The air filled
with the sweet emanalons, makes Won
aware OF your approach to them, before
you have come in sight of them, surroun>
ded as they are by thick live hedges, in
tended to guard the young buds from the
lnclement winds. An air of festival spread
all around proclaims that this is no vulgar
neid'work. Hundreds Of young girls, dres-
SEQ as If Tor village holiday, commence
the gathering with appropriate SONGS
he hrst time l witnessed this novel har
vest scene 1t seemed like dream; [ be-
came doubtful whether stood on Ba,ay;>
an ground the ETHEREAL sweetness inhaled
IN every breeze; the earth covered. as !,
"ere' with a green carpet. embroidered
win roses; the melodnus voices of so
many young and beautiful girls, would
nave, indeed, waited the Imagination 10
tue miider regions of Greece or Italy. but
'na' me azure eyes and golden hair of The
pretty Rosserers proclaimed them of Nor
man race. Those roses gathered in Hol-
.snu strange as j, may appear) are ship
Ped 10 Constaninople. destined to return
% Europe, SO concentrated by chemical
art, that the perfume of ten ,housand : or
zen used by lady to seen, her embro;J.
cred hankerchief.*
me roses are packed up in large hogsheads. in
:.a'e layers of flowers and sailed, and pressed
WIN great force 1t appears tha, the salt does no,
w. Tue essential oil which contains the aroma Of