612 THE HYACINTH. 



differences in some localities, climates, and soils of England appear 

 to me insujG&cient to account for it not being so. Perhaps our horti- 

 culturists are too much occupied with other matters, and certainly 

 it would be commercially unwise to enter the field against such 

 skilful and indefatigable contemporaries without first acquiring 

 a thorough knowledge of so distinct a branch of the art of gar- 

 dening. We may, and I believe do grow and bloom them as well 

 here as there. But the question remains, can we bring bulbs of 

 our own growth into the market of the same quality and at the 

 same price? The answer is, not at present. We can, in the 

 present state of our knowledge and practice, buy and sell cheaper 

 than we can produce. 



The Hyacinth being a bulbous plant, the sources of supply, at 

 least during the early stages of growth, depend on the nutriment 

 stored up in the bulb the year before. Thus it will be inferred 

 that it is as important to obtain good bulbs as to grow them well 

 when obtained. And I would here caution the cultivator against 

 placing too much confidence in large bulbs. True, if a bulb is 

 sound, solid, weighty, and well stored with eliminated food, the 

 larger the better; but there are many large, showy, frothy bulbs 

 sold every year in Holland and in England which fail before 

 these tests, and which it requires a practised eye and hand to 

 apply- Then again, there are some beautiful sorts of Hyacinths 

 of which Grootvorst is a familiar example-^which seldom produce 

 large handsome bulbs. On the other hand, there are some indif- 

 ferent kinds which generally produce bulbs of great size and beauty. 

 But further, bulbs of the same kind differ in value in the hands 

 of different cultivators. In proof of it we need only adduce one 

 fact — and whether it be attributed to the greater skill of the 

 cultivator or to the superiority of his soil, the fact remains 

 that there is a difference of 20 per cent, in the prices of the 

 different growers, and the highest priced stock always commands 

 the readiest market. Having laid the foundation of a successful 

 culture by the acquisition of good bulbs, let us pass to the next 

 point. 



2.~The Seasok of Planting, 



The natural period of rest for the Hyacinth is from June to 

 October. If planted before the latter month, the shortening of 

 the natural period of rest diminishes the vigour of growth and 

 the beauty of the flowers. So if the planting be delayed far 



