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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 23, 1914)
THE SUNDAY OREGOXIAX. PORTLAND, AUGUST S3, 1914. BLOOMING HAARLEM AND MARKEN, HOLLAND, DEPICTED Flower Culture, Once a Mania, Brought Down to Science Quaint Typically Dutch of Island Community Found to Be Most Interesting People. aY ALICE V. JOTCE. AMSTERDAM, Holland, Aug. Special.) Not wealth, but the ability to meet diffi cult conditions is the measure of a man. Ever)" failure teaches a man something. If 3ie will only learn. Charles Dickens. faaV-?HEN you hear someone remark Wthat "the whole civilized world Is interested in the beautiful flowers which the Dutch bulbs produce and that this interest increases every year. or that "Haarlem is famous for its horticulture and supplies bulbs to every country in Europe or Amer ica, have you ever questioned the his tory of this industry or the difficul ties that have been overcome in this wonderful product? During- the months of April and May the vicinity of Haarlem and Leiden Is a. glorious sight to behold. Whole fields of hyacinths, tulips, crocuses. anemones, lilies, etc, grouped in every variety of color and diffusing the most delicious perfumes, are the delights of every visitor. There Is nothing more exquisite, nothing that appeals more to all that is good and pure in the hu man heart than the flowers of the fields. One is often asked here by visitors from abroad what the countryside looked like in olden times; how the cultivation of bulbs originated: how it grew to its present importance and no doubt the many readers of The Ore gonian are equally as Inquisitive. Flower Trade Manin. In 163S and 1637 the flower trade of Holland assumed the form of a mania and tulips became as important a spec ulation as railway shares and the pub lic funds of the present-day. Capitalists, merchants and even private individ uals entirely ignorant of floriculture, traded extensively in bulbs and fre quently amassed considerable fortunes. A single Dutch town is said to have gained more than 10.000,000 florins a florin equals 49 cents) by the sale of tulip bulbs In one year. In the latter half of the lfth cen tury the first bulb plants were sent from Asia by way of Turkey and Vien na to Western Europe: by whom and with what object In view no one can tell. In the beginning of the 17th cen tury Paris selected the tulip as the flower of fashion and from that time the cultivation of bulbs was seriously taken in hand. Many difficulties arose. A regret table passion for gambling in bulbs prevailed at this time. Fortunes were made and lost. The rarer bulbs often realized enormous prices. It is re corded that the "Semper Augustus" was sold for j3,ooo florins, the "Ad miral Liefkens" for 4500 florins and the "Viceroy" for 4200 florins. Happily this craze was a passing one, and the cultivation as well as the trade in bulbs soon progressed, though not without many incidents of a somewhat serious character. Flood Aroosea Government. The problem, of the water level, at all times a vital point for the cultiva tion of bulbs, became extremely urgent in the Autumn of 1872. but it was only in 1877, when the whole of the crops was destroyed by high water, that the government gave serious attention to this problem. Serious damage was caused bv game of various descriptions. and the history of the struggle of -the? thorn to planters against this enemy would fill a book of Itself. All obstacles were, however, overcome gradually, and to day the bulb trade is an industry of which The Netherlands may be justly proud. Among the popular varieties are the Darwin. Rembrandt and Siren tulips and the Parsifal hyacinths. Real triumphs are recorded among the trumpet daffodils. As soon as suffi ciently propagated, such excellent forms of the Glory of Haarlem. Hope of Holland, Thackeray and others will become the yellow trumpets in the garden just as they are now at the London and Haarlem daffodil shows. Foremost of all, the white trumpets will be the general favorite, and after many years the "Mrs. Ernest H. Krelage," the best white trumpet will take a popular position in the flower world. The cultivation of bulbs is intensely interesting, and many questions might be answered. In the beginning of the lth century, when the cultivation of bulbs did not occupy more than a few acres. It was confined to lands within and just outside the town of Haarlem, while only a few prominent growers conducted a small export trade to Eng land and Germany. As the means of communication developed, the export trade Increased in importance, and the cultivation of bulbs extended propor tionately. New Method Prove Good. At that time it was a rule that lands used for bulb culture could only bear crops once in four years, so that they lay idle for three years. It soon proved impossible to maintain this rather wasteful system, and new meth ods were tried. Many growers began to work the soil down to a certain depth so that the layers to be used for planting the bulbs were partially re freshed and renewed. The result was that the lands treated In this manner proved suitable for planting every two years. Much was gained, but the ever increasing demand for bulbs neces sitated more serious measures. Thus it was that new lands were made suit able for bulb growing by plowing very deeply and mixing the soil with sand from the dunes. Even between Haar lem and Leiden the lands which sat isfy all these conditions are scarce; hence the high prices paid for them and the groat necessity for intensive cultivation. Is there any reason why these beautiful tulips and. hyacinths can be grown in the open fields only in Holland? It might be worthy of the experiment to test the same mixtures of Oregon's rich soil and sand. The hyacinth requires calcareous soil rather coarse grained. For potted plants the bulbs may be planted In October and the pots should be four or five-Inch pots. Fill the pots with a mixture prepared in advance and con sisting of four equal parts, viz: good light garden soil, leaf mould, pure old cow dung and pure sand. Put the bulb Into it, leaving the top visible, and press the soil firmly around the bulb. Water the pots once freely and put them In a corner of the garden pro tected against frost and cover them with soil, ashes or leaves so that the pots are entirely hidden. If there is no garden, the pots may be placed in the cellar or similar frost free, cool dark room, till the roots have suf ficiently developed. After about five or six weeks the pots may be removed to the light by putting them In a green house or general living-room. The atmosphere must not be too dry and the temperature moderate in the first days and always regular. Plenty of water may bo supplied now, according to the needs of the bulbs. Mncrlc Varieties for Glauses. For hyacinths in glasses, the single varieties are well adapted for this pur pose. The glasses are filled with pure rainwater so that the roots are im mersed in it; the bulb itself must never be in contact with the water. The glasses are kept in a cool, dark case or room protected from frost till the roots have sufficiently developed. They are then removed to the light in a frost-free apartment of regular tem perature and where they can have a sunny and not too dry situation. The evaporating water should be replaced by fresh water of .the same tempera ture. A few grains of salt will keep the water clear and pure. For the garden, the level of the water must always be such that the plants are alile to draw up tho water with their roots. Another requirement Is that the ground absorbs the water up to a certain height in the manner of capillary vessels, whilst on the other hand all superfluous water must easily flow away into canals or rivers, the general level thus being subject to no great changes. The culture of tulips is similar to that of hyacinths except in pots, ordinarily three bulbs of the same va riety are put together in the same pot. In glasses they are alike. In beds or borders the tulips are planted in Au tumn until December, but preferably earlier. The bulbs are planted four inches deep and three inches apart. The best time for planting Narcissi is September or October. For indoor culture the species with the largest bulbs are planted three of Ave to gether (same variety) in the same pot. Five to 15 of the smaller bulbs can be put in one pot. In beds or borders Polyanthus Narcissi and the delicate Narcissi of other groups should be planted five Inches deep and six Inches apart. In Winter they must be cov ered with leaves about eight inches high. The more resistent varieties four inches deep and five Inches apart, and need a cover of only two Inches in Winter. Care of Flower Advised. When the bulb is dispatched it al ready contains the flower. With a little care the latter will flourish any where. In this connection the charac ter of the soil is of small importance. It is astonishing that the bulb may be brought to flower In a tumbler filled with water. It is afterwards that the quality of the soil and Its treatment becomes of supreme importance, for when the flower is dead the bulb must absorb sufficient food to form a new flower and to nourish It during its de velopment. It is an interesting sight to see the glass-covered seed pods of the various bulb-producing plants, for by this process hew varieties are pro duced. One of the leading firms has nearly 100 hectares planted in bulbs. They are now In the midst of the harvest. It is interesting to see the girls sort ing the bulbs, the larger bulbs for market and the smaller ones for an other year's growth. These bulb grow ers have orgsnfzed a society called the General Society for Bulb Culture. They train their own gardeners. Tho appren tices begin at an early age and attend tho night school for gardeners which Is provided by thl society. The gross weight of bulbs exported in 1901 amounted to 19.957.94! kilo grams, whilst In 191.1 the figure was 22,751.500 kilograms. They cannot sup ply the demand. The largest orders are exported to the United States. Great Britain, Ireland. Germany. Austria, Scandinavia and Denmark. Even though we have passed much time In study I should not have you think our journey has been without Its other pleasures. Were It possible noth ing would give us more pleasure than to take all who wish to go with us to Innsbruck, Austria. Oberammergau. where the Passion Play Is staged every ten years, across Switzerland In that beautiful mountain scenery, attend the Industrial Exposition In Berne, far Into the Black Forests ' from Frleburg, "Down the Rhine" past the Mouse Tower at Blngen, a visit to the Art Ex position In Coin and then to Amster dam by way of Rotterdam, Tho Hague, Haarlem and Schevenlngon. But there Is one place which was most Interest ing to me, so by words and pictures wilt trv tn take von with me Rrfntn leaving Portland, a kind friend who I was telling me of a. trip abroad, sug- J gestcd my visiting the Island of Mar ken. I enjoyed it so much th.at I musx again quote Mrs. Wiggs, who ways: "I don't feel like good things belong to me until I have passed someone else." The Island of Market! Is located In the Zulder Zee with a lighthouse on the northeast point. But It ts a spot which has not lost any of Its characteristics and strengthens the foreigners who come here In the belief that the stylo of Its inhabitants Is typically Dutch. The men dress In black and dark bluo jerseys or long Jackets with silver but tons and enormously loose trousers, their hair cut straight across the fore head over the eara and at the bsck of the neck as If a barber had clapped on a bowl and trimmed round It. The women have gorgeous costumes, stiff, white caps eoerd with lace, short, full skirts with richly embrol dered bodices. They wear their hair with a long curl on each side of th face. The rhildren are dressed In th same style of costume aa their parent and retain their old. fashioned ways of leaving the wooden shoes outside when they enter the house. Every courtesy Is shown whan a l Itor enters their homes. They are hap py to show you the Drift-tiled wall which pictures Bible history, the pol ished brass and copper utensils of cen turies, the Delft china of their an cestors, a "very old clock." a wooden cabinet of. the lath century, the beds built In the walls, the aanded floors, beautifully designed and many other Interesting features. One woman Invited ua to drink tea from a teapot several centuries old. It wa,s ail very quaint and Interesting. In olden times they sax this Island, now a hill surrounded by a dyke, but lost at sea, was a part of the main land. In the latter part of the thir teenth century It was roughly separat ed from the mainland In a stormy night. The Island then became the property of the Marlengaard Convant In Frlesland at the epot where, since 1845, the present church la to be found. Marken then passed from hand to hand. In 165 there was an Inunda tion, which destroyed almost every thing. What was spared was nearly all destroyed by fire two years later.