Evening star., 1905-11-11
TULIP FARMING IN IRELAND.
ACRES and Acres" Compose the Field
Of "Great Strong Giants"


IL Is not exclusively a tulip farm any
more than 1t is a daffodil, or marcissus.
OF an anemone, or an iris farm, since It's
many acres OF gardens and fields are given
up to the culture of these and every other
kilo OIL pulb but when l saw 1t in a day Of
May the tulips, with their great, deep cups
anu gorgeous coioring, seemed to have blot
ted out every other lesser blossom.
The little fields lie scattered at the feet
Of whitewashed golden-roofed cottages dot
ted here and there about the outskirts Of
the quiet seagirt village almost in the
shacoW of the church steeple, and as one
drives along the white sandy roads one
sees The tulips in dazzling strips of gold
anu PINK and purple and white and crimson
stretching away on all sides
Out beyond the little turf-built banks
which make so effectual barrier between
the blossoms and the rough breezes lie
the sand dunes and the sea- shimmerins
and sparkling in the brilliant Nav sun
shihe. It's blue waters rejecting back the
cloudlesS azure of the skies and throwing
INTO greater relief the rugged outlines of
the Islands on its bosom, while here and
there tiny white-winged yacht sails fast
chanted fairy land
The bulb farm is struggling and irregu-
lar: consisting as 1t does of the little fields
ana potato gardens of the cottiers. bought
up at direrent periods, just as he could
get them, by the enterprising cultiyator of
bulbs The green banks of turf and the
privet hedges, close cut and sheltering are
the same that the dead and gone OCCUPIES
OF the snow-white cottages built for them
selves IN times gone by, to guard their
more prosaic crops of pota toes, or cabbage,
or lettuce from the winds of the east and
north.
The soil is sandy, SO much so that ones
feet sink softly into it to the depth of many
inches as one traverses the narrow path
ways which intersect that dazzling array
of tulip beds. Field after field is stretched
before one acres and acres of tulips-and
such tulips! None of your slender, droop-
ing, town-bred weaklings, but great strong
giants. measuring from head to foot from
two and a half TO three feet. with deep
generous cups and sturdy stems and rich
green foliage full of health and vigor
They flourish bravely massed together
IN the sandy soil, lifting their chalice- like
cups i'll the sunshine. drinking in the
heavy dews of evening.
Here lies a great bed of orange yellow
the "Bounton dor" one broad sheet of
golden. delicately fashioned goblets be-
ytnd them spreads a rich mass of cherry
red, then a sea of pure white, then one Of
lilac. there pink. then primrose and so on
through every conceivable variety of shade
and color. One has to see this farm of
acres and acres of tulips to realize its
beauty-thts heavenly tapestry of gorgeous
ly brilliant tinting and softest and most
delicate texture.
Here is a bed OF Parrot tulips. singu-
,arly handsome section. with their gro
tesque ragged edged. huge, wide open cups
splashed in varying tints of orange and
scarlet, green and brown; here, again, a
strip of curious looking black tulips, La
Tulipe Noire," with its deep velvety dark
petals. Quieter looking still is the array
OF green blossoms fiecked with the palest
primrose, while there are hundreds of other
kinds less curious, but more beautiful and
delicate while tipped with crimson, lilac
yNh TO nran ri oa1 x.,{{l
scarlet and so on through an indescribable
variety of dainty and exquisite blooms the
mere sight of which dazzles ones eyes in
the strong sunshine.
Here and there this sea of beauty and
color is flecked by small light looking struc-
lures of wooden laths and white canvas
like a fiotilla of white sailed boats or q
cloud of white butterflies-desgned to keep
off the strength of the suns rays, and so
hold back a little longer the full develop
ment of the blooms beneath while at one
end of the field is a huge white tent, put
up over a number of the most choice and
valuable sorts, with the same wise inten-
ton.
In one of the many drying and sorting
houses number of men and boys were
busily employed in packing into large
roomy boxes some exquisite blooms of tulips
and ranunculi and ST. Bridget anemones
and other choice blossoms, destined for the
then forthcoming Temple show in London
or the less imposing flower display in the
Waverly market, Edinburgh.
1t appears that the peculiar nature of
the soil, sandy and moist and well manured
year after year 1t has been, makes It
pre-eminently suited to bulb growing.
The bulb farm gives a great deal of en-
ployment to the poor people of the neigh
borhood, especially in autumn, when the
work of lifting goes unemployment
much needed since of late years the fish
ing industry, by which most OF the inhabi-
tants formerly supported themselves has
dwindled considerably through the COM
petition of the steam trawlers.