1860 saw the founding of the Dutch Algemeene Vereeniging voor Bloembollencultuur (nowadays the Koninklijke Algemeene Vereeniging voor Bloembollencultuur), an event that marked the start of the professional organization of the modern flower bulb business in the Netherlands. The author gives a detailed description of the development of this business, treating economical, as well as institutional and juridical aspects. Central to the narrative are the lives of three generations Krelage, because the history of this family is intertwined with the history of the flower bulb in the Netherlands.
Bloembollen in Holland 1860-1919 provides the first integral history of the modern flower bulb industry and serves as a welcome addition to the well-known book by E.H. Krelage, Drie eeuwen bloembollenexport (1946).
The book is set up chronologically and describes the following subjects: breeding, domestic and foreign trade, exhibitions, science, governmental care and labour conditions. Special attention is given to the impact and results of all precautions made during World War I. The last chapter gives an extensive look at the business as it stands at the beginning of the 21st century.