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BOTANICAL NOTICE FOR MARCH. 

 THE HYACINTH. 



The common hyacinth, (scilla nutanus) deserves notice on account 

 of the interest taken in it for the sake of its beautiful flowers, and 

 the many varieties which cultivation has induced, rather than for 

 any particular service of which it is capable. The Dutch florists had at 

 one time upwards of 2,000 varieties of one species of hyacinth. 



The hyacinth is of the natural order, asphodelea or asphodel 

 tribe, which also includes the onion, squil, garlick, &c., and is 

 remarkable for the extreme simplicity of the structure of all its parts. 



The principal points to be attended to in this tribe are the peri- 

 anth or flower leaves, consisting of six pieces of similar form, size, 

 and colour, arranged in two rows, the outer one being the calyx and 

 the inner one the corrolla. There are six stamens, and one pistil ; 

 the ovarium, or seed deposit, is superior to the calyx, and divided 

 into three cells ; the seeds are numerous, and covered with a black 

 brittle skin. The stem arises from scaly bulbs, from the bottom of 

 which the roots are developed. Although, however, the bulbous 

 structure and herbaceous vegetation is common to the asphodel tribe, 

 yet, there are exceptions, especially in some plants which grow 

 between the tropics, such as the Dracana Draco, of the Canary 

 Islands, from which the Dragon's Blood of commerce is obtained. 



There are points in which the plants belonging to this tribe, and 

 growing in our own climate, differ. In the onion all the parts of 

 the perianth are distinct, but in the hyacinth they cohere nearly 

 to their points; and in other genera they are completely grown 

 together. 



The hyacinth is of the Linnasan class, hexandria, having six 

 stamens, and of the order monogynia, having one pistil : its leaves 

 are long and narrow, their veins running parallel. The cluster of 

 flowers is drooping ; the flowers themselves are pendulous cylindrical- 

 bell-shaped ; the petals are reflexed at the points, of a blue colour, 

 emitting a sweet fragrance. It is generally found wild in gi'oves and 



