ON FORCING HYACINTHS. 243 



no higher with water than ahout an inch from the bulb, wrap the 

 glass and bulb closely round with a piece of old flannel, they must 

 then be put in a moderately warm closet or other dark place for two 

 or three weeks, by which time they will have emitted roots, and 

 should be removed to an airy, light, and cool situation till about 

 Christmas, when they may be brought into the warm sitting-room 

 and placed near the windows.* Rain or river water is to be pre- 

 ferred, and should be changed every two or three weeks, the fresh 

 water being applied about the same temperature as that removed. 

 Should the water in either of the glasses become foul sooner than the 

 others, the roots and the under part of the bulb will generally be 

 found covered with a decayed substance, which should be removed 

 and the whole plant washed. Should off-sets appear round the bulb 

 they should be removed early. As soon as the Hyacinths are over- 

 blown, the blossoms should be stripped off without destroying the 

 leaves or stem, and the plant laid in the earth until June, when they 

 may be taken out and laid up on shelves or boxes in an airy situation 

 until October, when, though not fit for blooming a second season in 

 water, they will produce fine blossoms in the open ground, and by thus 

 saving annually the bulbs which have been forced and their numerous 

 off-sets, a beautiful Hyacinth bed of every shade and colour may soon 

 be obtained, which is one of the most pleasing objects in the months 

 of April and May. I repeat that the errors too often observable in 

 growing Hyacinths in water are, — placing them in the full light 

 when yiY^'planted, which is very unfavourable to the growth of , the 

 roots — keeping them away from the light when throwing up the 

 leaves and blossoms, which prevents their coming to their natural 

 colours — placing them (before the leaves and stems are sufficiently 

 advanced) upon a chimney piece or other very warm place, which 

 spends too much of the bulb in fibrous roots, and forces up the 

 blossoms before they arrive at their proper size, form, or colour. 



* The attention |to placing them in the dark arises from the fact, that where 

 light has free access, leaves will immediately be produced, as it is congenial to 

 their nature; but it is the opposite with roots, and where full light exists they 

 will not push forward. Kept in the dark roots push freely, and having obtained 

 them first, leaves and flowers will certainly follow. When they are removed to 

 a light situation the glasses may be filled up to the tips of the roots, and in a 

 week afterwards up to the bulb. 



