236 THE FLOWER-GARDEN. [CHAP. vni. 



away in separate particles by a high wind. 

 When hyacinths are to be grown to the greatest 

 perfection in England, a bed, or, rather, pit, 

 should be dug three or four feet wide and six 

 feet deep, the length depending on the situation, 

 and on the quantity of flowers to be grown. A 

 layer of stale cow-dung, without any mixture 

 of straw or litter, should be laid at the bottom 

 of this pit at least a foot deep, and the pit 

 should then be filled up to within three inches 

 of the top with equal parts of peat and silver- 

 sand, or with a mixture of three parts of silver- 

 sand to one of light vegetable mould perfectly 

 fine and without any stones. About three 

 inches from the top should be spread a layer of 

 pure sand for the bulbs ; and the bed is then 

 filled up with the same mixture as the lower 

 part, and a layer about three inches deep of pure 

 peat is laid over the whole, to form a dark 

 background to give relief to the flowers. Dry 

 weather should always be chosen for the plant- 

 ing; and, when planted, the bulbs must be 

 placed at regular distances, and each with the 

 pointed end, which the Dutch call the nose, 

 upwards. They must be covered with the sand, 

 and should be about six inches below the sur- 

 face of the bed, which ought to be raised at 

 least three inches higher than the surrounding; 

 garden to allow for its sinking. The bulbs are 

 planted the last week in October, or the first or 

 second week in November, and they are placed 

 about four inches apart every way. After they 

 are planted, a mixture of cow-dung and water 

 is generally thrown with a scoop over the bed, 

 bo as to form a thin coating over the soil, but 



