HYACINTHS. 



JUDGING from my own experience 

 and the experience of others I 

 believe the Hyacinth to be about 

 the best bulb for winter window 

 culture, and among the different classes 

 of Hyacinths none are more fitting for 

 that purpose than the sweet and grace- 

 ful Roman varieties. The bulbs of 

 these are somewhat smaller than those 

 other kinds, yet their flowers are pro- 

 duced in greater abundance, and last 

 much longer than those of other sorts. 

 Bulbs planted in September or October 

 ought to come into bloom by Christmas, 

 and nothing is daintier to give to one's 

 friend than they, either cut or still on 



Fig. 1714.— Hyacinths. 



the plant. The bulbs delight in a rich 

 soil, composed mainly of thoroughly 

 decayed manure, garden and woods 

 mold ; also a judicious supply of 

 moisture — in the air rather than at their 

 roots — and a temperature of about sixty 

 or sixty-five degrees. They do not exact 

 any sunshine to speak of, and will bloom 

 very successfully in a north window. It 

 has been my custom for years to plant 



only one bulb of these (and all other 

 Hyacinths except the Grape) in one 

 jar, although this is not absolutely re- 

 quirable. A four-inch jar about suits 

 an ordinary-sized bulb ; larger named 

 sorts will require a receptacle a size or 

 two larger, while three bulbs of the little 

 Grape Hyacinths may be set in a four- 

 inch pot. I generally surround each 

 bulb with coarse sand to ward off decay. 



After introducing my bulbs to their 

 dark box down cellar I let them remain 

 there from six weeks to three months, 

 and find that those left longest are much 

 the finest, all told. Let me say if all 

 bulb growers would make this all im- 

 portant fact their own and act upon it, 

 there would not be one-half so many 

 failures in making these bulbs come 

 into successful flower. Experience, that 

 hardiest yet kindest of teachers, has 

 convinced me of that. 



Among the named single Dutch Hya- 

 cinths I can unhesitatingly recommend 

 the following : Amy, medium spike of 

 rich carmine flowers, one of the best ; 

 Gertrude, fine spike of rose bells slightly 

 with lilac, has carmine stripe on each 

 petal ; Gigantea, immense truss of deli- 

 cate rose ; La Reine des Jacinthes, rich, 

 glowing, dark red ; La Grandesse, dense 

 spike of snowy blossoms ; Mimosa, dark 

 rich blue, nearly purple; Ida, fine 

 canary yellow; L'Amie du Coeur, fine 

 spike of mauve-lilac blossoms. 



I have said nothing about the double 

 named sorts. Perhaps it is just as well, 

 as I never feel safe in recommending 

 them to those who are beginning bulb 

 culture.— Benj. B. Keech, Park's Floral 

 Guide. 



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