H Y A 



H Y A 



into larger pots, and sparingly watered in the 

 winter season. 



When thus managed, they will attain twelve 

 or fittcon teet in growth in this climate, and 

 often afford flowers. 



They afford ornament and variety in the stove 

 collections. 



HYACIXTHUS, a genus containing plants 

 of the bulbous- rooted flowcTing {>erennial kind. 



It belongs to the class and order Hexaiidria 

 Monogt/nia, and ranks in the natural order of 

 Liliactce. 



The characters are: that there is no calyx: 

 the corolla is nionopetalous, campanulate: bor- 

 der six-cleft, reflex : nectary, three honeved pores, 

 at the tip of the germ t the stamina have six 

 awl-shaped fllaments, shorter : anthers con- 

 verging : the pistillum is a superior germ, round- 

 thrce-cornercd, three-imTowed : style simple, 

 shorter than the corolla: siigma obtuse : the pe- 

 ricarpium is a roundish capsule, three-sided, 

 three-celled, three-valvcd : the seeds in pairs 

 (generally), roundish. 



The species cultivated arc : 1. H. orientalis. 

 Eastern or Garden Hyacinth; 2. H. non 

 icriptus, Common Hyacinth, or Hare-bells ; 

 3. H. cernuus, Bendinc; Hvacinth ; 4. H. se- 

 rotinus, Late-fiowcriug Hyacinth ; ^. Ji. ame- 

 thystiinis, Amclhyst-colourcd Hyacinth; 6. H. 

 mnscari. Musk Hyacinth; 7. H. monsirosta, 

 Feathered Hyacinth ; 8. H. contosus, Purple 

 Grape Hyacinth ; 9. H. Zo/ryo/Jfi, Blue Grape 

 Hyacinth ; 10. H, racemostu. Clustered Grape 

 Hyacintlu 



The first has a large coated bulb, viscid, and 

 of a sweetish taste, from the bottom of which 

 spring the roots, which are long round fibres, 

 of a middling thickness ; from the middle of it 

 a single naked stem or scape ; and from the top 

 six, seven, or more leaves : the leaves are broad- 

 ish, keeled, p.-ile green at bottom, but of a darker 

 green towards the end : the scape is a long span 

 in height, smooth, roundish, pale green below, 

 hut tinged with brown towards the top : from 

 the middle of this to the top come out the flowers 

 one above another, not pointing tlic same wav, 

 as in the Harebell, but standing on diflcrent sides 

 ol the stalk; three, four, orfive, to twelve or more 

 in number,each noddingonpedicels, half an inch 

 in length, usually of a very dark green colour, 

 and having a pair of small bracies" at the base : 

 tlie corolla is near an inch in length, almost cv- 

 lindrical except at the base, where it swells or 

 bellies out, and at the lop the segments arc turned 

 back a little : these l5owers liave a very sweet 

 smell, and arc much valued for the variety of 

 their colours, as jjure white, while tinged wiih 

 blue, all shades of blue from these to \lic dark 



violet, and all shades of red purple from the 

 faint blush to the deep n J ; they are also some- 

 times yellow. It is a n ,tive of the Levant; 

 flowering in March anii April. 



There are varieties with single white flowers, 

 with double white flowers, with red single and dou- 

 ble flowers, with flesh-coloured single and double 

 flowers, with blue single and double flowers, with 

 purple-blue single and double flowers, with flesh- 

 coloured single and double flowers, with yellow 

 flowers, with double while flowers, w iih red eyes 

 or middles, with double white w iih purple eves, 

 with double white with flesh-coloured eyes, with 

 double white with yellow eyes, with double agate- 

 blue, with double and single porcelain-blue, with 

 double and single violet-coloured flowers. 



There are also many intermediate varieties 

 which have been obtained from seed, and by 

 w hich many new ones of the above principal sorts 

 are annually gained ; each variety being distin- 

 guished either by the name of tl>e place where 

 first raised, the person who raised them, or that 

 of illustrious personages, as the greatest kinirs, 

 the bravest generals, the most famous poets, the 

 celebrated antient historians, and gods and god- 

 desses. 



It is this species and varieties that are com- 

 monly esteemed and cultivated by florists. 



The chief properties which distrnguish the 

 good Double Hyacinth are, that the stalk be tall, 

 strong, and upright : the flowers or bells suf- 

 ficiently numerous, each suspended by a short 

 strong peduncle, in a horizontal position ; the 

 whole having a compact pyramidal form, with 

 the crown or uppermost flower perfeetlv' erect : 

 the flowers should be large, and well lilled w iili 

 broad bold petals, appearing to the eye rather 

 convex, than flat or hollow : they should extend 

 to about the middle of the scape or si Ui: : the 

 plain colours should be clear and briglii, stronsi 

 ones being in general preferred , tn pa!». colour^, 

 and such as arc mixed should blend with ele- 

 gance. 



In the second species the root is roundish, 

 about the size of a nutmeg: the scape from six 

 incites to a foot in height, upright, roUiid, 

 smooth, and solid, bowed down when it begins 

 to flower: the leaves are four, six, or sometimes 

 more, only half the length of the scape, and 

 about half an inch broad, keeled, hoUow, smooili, 

 shining, grass green, flaccid, bending downwards, 

 ending in an acute point : the flowers are in a 

 long raceme or spike, from eight to twelve, often 

 more, all pointing one way, pedicclled, pendu- 

 lous, swcet-smellinii, blue or violei colour, 

 varying to white and lk»h-coloured, six-parted 

 to the very base. It is a native of France. 



The third aerecs with the first sort in habit 

 3 0i 



