NOVEMBER. 27 



It is particularly recommended by the Dutch 

 florists to cut down the flower-stalk when out of 

 flower, but not to remove the leaves when green, 

 nor until they have gradually died away ; by these 

 means the bulbs will be stronger for the next year's 

 blossom. Great care must be taken to protect the 

 beds from heavy rains, so as to take up the bulbs 

 dry in June ; they should be preserved in sand, sepa- 

 rately, till replanted in October or November. The 

 varieties of this beautiful flower are too numerous to 

 insert, and the names given to them, too arbitrary 

 and absurd to introduce. The moderate but tasteful 

 florist, may be content with raising good flowers of 

 red, white, blue, and yellow ; and those who wish 

 to become judges of the perfection of the flower, 

 must recognise in it the following particulars, and 

 not rest satisfied till they are generally procured. 



A FINE DOUBLE HYACINTH. 



Should be grown with such care as to exhibit 

 a strong, healthy, tall, and straight stem ; half its 

 length, at least, close covered with full and hori- 

 zontal bells, forming a compact cone, terminated at 

 top by one upright bell ; whatever may be the color, 

 it must be clear and bright, and agreeably diversified 

 to the eye. Flowers of this description are worthy 

 the pains of cultivation. 1 shall close this account 

 of the Hyacinth with a remark, not of my own, but 

 which a friend, who has studied the Pantheon, has 

 helped me to ; it is this : That this flower, notwith- 

 standing its name, is not that into which a friend of 

 Apollo, who bore the same name, was metamor- 



