132 FLORA HISTORICA. 



The principal Hyacinth growers in Holland take 

 up their bulbs about a month after bloom, or as 

 soon as the plants begin to appear yellow and de- 

 cayed. They then cut off the stem and the foliage 

 close to the bulb, or within about half an inch of 

 it, but leave the fibrous roots attached to the bulb; 

 the bulbs are then placed on the same beds on their 

 sides, with the points towards the north. They 

 are then covered with dry earth or sand, about half 

 an inch thick, in the form of a ridge or cone, and 

 in this state they are left to dry or ripen gradually, 

 for about three weeks. They are then taken up, 

 and their fibres gently rubbed off, after which they 

 are laid in a dry room for a few days, and then 

 cleared from soil or loose decayed coats, &c, and 

 their off-sets separated. The bulbs should then be 

 placed in shallow drawers, where the air can circu- 

 late around them. Some persons place them with 

 the oase of tire bulb upwards ; but the most material 

 thing is to keep them from damp, and place them 

 "where there is a free circulation, as on a lattice 

 shelf, or in open wicker baskets, with little sticks 

 across to separate each layer of bulbs, and these 

 baskets may be suspended to the ceiling to keep 

 them from vermin. 



The Hyacinth is one of the plants that thrive 

 best in a saline atmosphere, and is, therefore, calcu- 

 lated to embellish the gardens on the sea-coast ; it 



