50 THE LAND OF PLUCK

 

 

 

The owner of the first refused an offer for it of the fee simple
of twelve acres of building lots. The second, that of Am-
sterdam, was finally sold for 4600 florins (1840 dollars), a
new carriage, two gray horses, and a complete suit of har-
ness! This statement is well attested, and is printed in the
records of the day.

One Munsing, who wrote a large volume on the tulipo-
mania, gives this list of articles which were delivered for
a single root of the variety called The Viceroy:

“Two lasts [loads] of wheat; four lasts of rye; four fat
oxen; eight fat swine; twelve fat sheep; two hogsheads of
wine; four tuns of beer; one thousand pounds of cheese ;
a suit of clothes; a silver cup; a bed, complete, and two
tuns of butter— the whole valued at twenty-five hundred
florins [or one thousand dollars].” And all for one root!

Still the mania grew. Men parted not only with their
money, but with their lands, household goods, apparel,
watches —anything, for the purchase of tulips.