58 BRECK'S BOOK OF FLOWERS. 



cinths may be comprehended, except a few yellow sorts, which 

 may be classed with the white." The bed should be four feet 

 wide ; the bulbs to be planted eight inches distant from each 

 other in the rows, and to be covered four inches deep. First 

 place about one inch of fine sand where each root is to be 

 placed, then press the bulb into the soil nearly its whole thick- 

 ness, and cover it completely with fine clean sand. Having 

 completed the planting, the who^ may be covered with sound, 

 fresh, sandy earth, four inches deep. Before winter sets in, 

 Hyacinths should be covered a few inches deep with leaves, 

 straw, meadow hay, or any other light substances ; they are, 

 however, perfectly hardy, but the bloom is more perfect when 

 thus covered. In selecting bulbs, be careful to procure good 

 sound roots ; for an imperfect root is not worth planting, and 

 many there are, sold every year by thousands, at auction, which 

 are generally the refuse of the Dutch gardens. A good root is 

 oerfectly hard, and bright, without specks of rot upon it, and 

 one that has not pushed a bud. Roots of the finest varieties 

 can be purchased for fifteen to twenty dollars per hundred, with 

 their names and colors ; and very fair sorts for less ; and 

 mixed sorts, with colors distinct, from six to ten dollars. 



In about one month after the bloom is over, and the foliage 

 begins to turn yellow, the bulbs may be taken up, cutting off the 

 flower stems, but not the foliage, and, having prepared a slop- 

 ing bed of light earth, the bulbs may be laid upon it, so as not 

 to touch, with the foliage downwards, covering the roots and 

 fibres with earth. Here they remain till the bulbs are suffi- 

 ciently ripened, which will be in about one fortnight, when 

 they may be taken up, and, after they have been dried, cleaned 

 from the fibres, soil, &c., then wrapped up in papers, dry 

 sand, or dry sawdust, and kept in a dry place until wanted for 

 use. Or the roots may remain in the bed until the foliage has 

 completely dried down, and then taken up, dried and cleaned, 

 as before stated. 



The Starry Hyacinth, or Scitta Peruviana, is a very pretty 

 bulbous-rooted plant, with dark blue starry flowers in May 



