GARDEN HYACINTH. 



101 



without it are still fleshy. Above the last year's flower-stalk 

 (Fig. 2, e) are found some white broad sheaths (b). There are 

 from three to six of these ; the outer ones, at the time of flowering, 

 are occasionally somewhat perished at their tips. All are fleshy 

 below ; only a small portion of their upper margin is membrana- 

 ceous. 



These are followed immediately by many perfect fresh leaves, 

 generally from five to twelve. They have no closed sheaths and 

 are arranged spirally. 



In the axil which is formed between this year's flower-stem and 

 the innermost leaf is found the main bud which is to produce the 



Fig. 1. 



Hyacinthus orientalis. 



Fig. 2. 



next year's blossom. It has many scales externally, of which the 

 outermost stands with its back to the peduncle. The succeeding 

 leaves are still very small. There is also frequently a second 

 bud as large as the first in the axil of the penultimate leaf. In 

 this case the plant bears in the following year two spikes of blos- 

 som, of which each, since they belong to different axes, is sur- 

 rounded by its own tuft of leaves. This must not be confounded 

 with the case in which two flower-stalks spring from the same 



