II LX AX Dill A. 



85 



mixed with yellow; they are subdivided from the 

 shades of each colour, as of the blues; deep blue, 

 violent blue, blue purple, porcelain blue, agate blue, 

 sky blue, French grey, &c. : also from the mixtures 

 of different colours or shades, as light blue with a 

 deep blue, or purple eye; white, with a rose-coloured, 

 blue, purple, or yellow eye ; white and red of dif- 

 ferent shades, mixed; yellow, with a purple eye, &c. 

 Some also have their petals tipped with a paler or a 

 deeper colour; and all these varieties are found both 

 in single and double flowers; but the latter only are 

 now esteemed and valued among florists, and their 

 estimation, is in proportion as they are large and 

 double, and the colours various and brilliant. 



Among botanists, double flowers are considered 

 as monsters of nature, and are wholly disregarded. 

 The Hyacinth was once esteemed in its single state 

 for the regularity and equality of its petals, and the 

 uniformity of the colours; and a double Hyacinth 

 was then no more valued than a double tulip is now. 

 A celebrated Dutch Florist, of the name of Peter 

 Voorhelm, of Haarlem, was accustomed to throw 

 them out of his collection; till by accident, at the 

 decline of the season, a bulb with double flowers at- 

 tracted his attention, which he cultivated and in- 

 creased by off-sets : florists became fond of it, and he 

 sold it for a good price; this stimulated him to culti- 

 vate Hyacinths with double flowers, which he now pre- 

 served with as much care as he had shewn before in re- 

 jecting them : and from this time the greatest attention 



