'on the culture of the hyacinth. 273 



they are cleaned, the suckers taken off, and they are stowed in the 

 drawers prepared for their reception in the seed-room. 



The suckers are stowed, planted, and treated in every other respect as 

 the parent bulbs. They do not usually bear flowers till the fourth year. 



When the suckers are too much confined in the scales of the parent 

 bulb, they often fail, and cause the decay of the entire bulb. To 

 prevent this, an incision is made around it, just deep enough to 

 prevent injury to the centre, but as far as to cut through the coat 

 inclosing the bulb. This facilitates the formation of the suckers, 

 and increases the size. Seed is sown in September, under a glass 

 frame, and is covered with fine soil, two inches deep. In spring the 

 glass is taken off, guarding only against a return of sudden frost. 

 Seed sown in pots, and placed for winter protection, is equally suc- 

 cessful, only they require transplanting; but those sown on a bed in 

 a glass frame do not require it the first season, and the bulbs become 

 finer than if checked by transplanting. The bulbs are each following 

 year allowed more space in the bed. Sometimes at the fourth year 

 a few will bloom, but at the fifth the bulb is in full blooming vigour, 

 if treated properly before. It is at this age the Dutch send out their 

 bulbs. Previously to being named, they give them the appellation 

 of " Conquests." 



When cultivated in pots, they are planted at the same time, and in 

 the same kind of compost. After planting, they are plunged up to 

 the rim in a south-aspected border. As winter approaches they are 

 covered half a yard deep with rotten leaves. This not only protects, 

 but causes the bulb to push forth early, and is a most essential 

 attention to success. As desired, a few at a time are taken in to 

 force, placed in frames or other similar convenience. When the 

 shoots have pushed up into the leaf, covering about three inches, one 

 foot deep of it is taken off. This prevents them pushing up too 

 weakly or unseemly long; but enough is left to protect from injury 

 by any frost. When the pots are placed in a room, they are put as 

 near the light as possible. 



When grown in glasses, a small portion of salt or saltpetre is put 

 into the water. They are kept in the dark till they have pushed 

 about three inches, when they are removed to a light situation, in or 

 near a window. 



Paris, 7th Nov., 1840. 



Vol. VIII. No. 94. 2 a 



