The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1934-03-09

Prepared by National Geographic Society.
Washington, D. C.-WNU Service.
IN UTCH bulb growers have en-
listed the aid Of the Neither
- lands government in their In
dustry.
Tulip growing once became mania
In some portions of the Netherlands.
More has been written about that chap
ter in Dutch history, in fact, than its
Importance warrants; but 1t Is inter-
esting because the mania began at a
time when the Dutch government was
engaged in naval expeditions to ac-
quire territory, and taxes were so high
as to be almost uncomfortable. That the
sober Dutch would lose their heads
over flower at such time Is a phe-
nomenon that speaks highly of the
fascination of the tulip.
Staid burghers abandoned ordinary
business to engage in the tulip trade,
and period of gambling began that
could not result in anything but finan-
cial ruin for the participants. The
mania started in France in 1885 and
quickly shifted to the Netherlands.
Once the gambling was under way,
the plants about which it swirled be-
came mere symbols. All trade was for
tulips sin the onion Buyers would
contract for futures" risking enor-
nous sums on the expected products
of beds newly planted. A bulb of the
admiral Liefkens" sold for more than
1900 florins-the equivalent probably
on current exchange Of nearly 300
guineas. The "Semper Augustus"
which had not increased rapidly since
its introduction in 1923, was exceed
ingly scarce, and a single plant brought
$500 forms, worth at the time about
$40 pounds sterling.
Queer bargains were made, an ex-
ample that seems particularly ridicul-
GUS being the exchange of one bulb for
a load of grain, four fat oxen, twelve
sheep, five pigs, two barrels of butter,
1000 pounds of cheese, four barrels Of
beer, two hogsheads of wine, bed
stead with its furnishings, suit of
clothes, and silver drinking cup! At
the beginning of the mania the buyers
were real tulip fanciers who coveted
the flowers, but these soon were shout
dered out of the bidding by profess
sional market operators who bought
in lots and held for rise. One sue
cessfnl broker made 10000 forms profit
in four months.
Stole His Friends Rare Tulip.
That Dumas picture of Isaac Box
tells Vaccinations against his rival
tulip grower is at least not impossible
is proved by historic incident. A GER
tain burgomaster of Holland used his
influence to obtain for a friend a po-
litical post of some Importance. Upon
the friends offering to make return
for the favor, the burgomaster refused
reward and asked merely to be in
vited to see the appointee's tulip gar
den. The invitation was forthcoming
at once, and the visit was made.
A few months later the appointee
returned the burgomaster's visit. He
went into his benefactorS garden and
saw there a rare tulip which had been
taken surreptitiously from his own.
SO furious was he at this discovery
that he resigned his appointment, sold
his estate, and left the country.
With nothing of real value to sup
port the trade, the mania rose to alb
surd intensity. Traders gathered at
inns and marked bids on wooden
plates. A bulb would be mentioned,
and a prospective purchaser would
jot Gown on his plate tentative offer.
The holder of the bulb would write
down much-inflated price. While the
dickering was in progress, a small per-
centage Of the amount in question
would be set aside as wine money!"
and the dealer would put this up in
cash. When price was reached that
both buyer and seller would check
on their plates, the sale was pro-
claimed; but no money beyond the
wine fund changed hands in the inn.
Profits and losses were wholly ION
paper"
On April 81, 1886, proclamation Of
the states of Holland put an end to
the wild speculation by rendering In
valid all contracts in connection with
tulips. Confusion resulted. Bulbs
which had been bought for more than
5000 forms were sold for so. In the
wholesale liquidation many traders
were ruined. The bottom was out of
the market, and holdings were dis
posed of at per cent to 5 per cent Of
their cost.
Despite all this Juror the tulip fan
ciers, who had retired early from the
market lists and were tending their
flower beds, lost none of their en-
thusiasm. The fields around HARLEM
ard Leiden continued to glow just as
they glow to this day. If man pro-
duced a new and beautiful variety of
tulip, he was sure Of ready market
for it.
Popular fads afford rich material