The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1892-05-25
THE GREAT TULIP MANIA,
A SEVENTEENTH CENTURY CRAZE
OF TREMENDOUS VIOLENCE,
Fortunes Won aud Lost On the Pret.
ty Flower Bulb Origin of the
Spring Beauty OF Our Gardens.

Fortunes Won aud Lost On the pret.
ty Flower Bulb Origin of the
Spring Beauty of Our Gardens.
THAT gay flower, the tulip,
belle OF the garden, has reason
to carry itself with proudly up
lifted head, for its history is a
unique one. A native Of flowery Persia,
growing there in prodigal luxuriance and
making the earth fame with its crimson
corollas. Coming from there to Turkey,
1t received its name, tulip, from tulbend,
the Turkish name for turban, which it
resembles. At last in its migratory
mood it chose its home among the good
people Of Holland, henceforth with quiet
effrontery ignoring its birthplace aud GO
ing out into the world as Holland
bulb. But the flower which in the rich
soil of Persia glowed bright crimson,
in the sandy loan Of its new home APP
peared in new aud fantastic dress of
"two-fold beauty and parted streak"
and ever since florists have been trying
to vary the garb of the flower. For
years otherwise sensible men devoted
their lives to finding some way Of pro.
ducing black tulips, but with no better
success than their compcers who sought
blue roses.
Tulips were introduced into Northern
Europe about the close of the sixteenth
century. In Holland they quickly be-
came the popular ornament of their prim
gardens, and by one of those strange
freaks which seem to sieze nation as
we'll as an individual, they became ar.
ticles of commercial speculation.
The rise and fall of the tulfpomania
has no parallel in the business world
In 1886 tulip marts were established in
Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Haarlem aud
other cities, where they were sold as
stock on Wall street is to-day. Prices
lose higher aud higher. Bulbs bearing
all kinds of high sounding names were
offered for sale. They were bought and
sold again without the buyers receiving,
indeed, with no expectation of ever see
ing them. All classes entered into the
speculation, from noblemen to turfmen.
Servants, becoming suddenly rich, left
their places to set up establishments for
themselves. Men parted with houses,
land and even clothes for bulbs.
A sailor in warehouse picked up a
bulb and bit it, supposing it to be an
onion. The cost to the merchant of that
one bite would have banqueted the
Prince of Orange and his retlnue.
Suddenly this strange imitation ceased
and was followed by panic. Prices
fell, merchants could not meet their en-
gagements, rich men found themselves
beggared-but the tulip had come to
stay.
Even in England amid the excitement
of civil war and the stern, joyless rule
that followed, the tulip gained its place
and friends. An old book gives pleas
ant picture of General Lambert, one of
the noblest Officer of the Puritan army,
turning from battles to cultivate the bulb
with such loving care that the cavaliers
satirized him as Knight of Ye Golden
Tulip.
But while those bright flowers blush
Sin gay diveIsitie" at our feet, and make
our lawns and parlors brilliant for so
long time as nature, aided by the for
lists skill will allow, they have compau-
ion blossoms that refuse to lend them
selves for such lowly ends. They bloom
but for the stars, and choose for their
admirers birds with plumage as snowy as
themselves. Perhaps the eagle pauses
to wonder at the gay coloring of the
tulip tree.
Although common in the Middle States,
comparatively few have seen the mag
nitcent blossoms of this tree. This is
because of the great height it attains be-
fore it branches out. 1t seems strange
to think of those great cup shaped flow
ers glowing in their strange beauty of
variegated scarlet, yellow and orange
over hundred feet from the ground.
For hundreds of years those trees, the
largest in America except the California
group, will bear their blossoms and peo.
pie living in their shadows will never see
the coloring of their canopy. BY some
law of association, perhaps that instinct
which makes birds frequent those trees
whose foliage will best conceal them, the
tree attracts to itself the gaycst hued
birds, notably the oriole, TO which Haw-
thorne compares its shower.-Detroit Free
Press,