FLORISTS' FLOWERS : HYACINTHS. 79 



plants. Arrange the bulbs- a centre one, and the rest in 

 a circle round it near together, well pressed into the 

 earth, and covered with three or four inches' depth of 

 earth, if it be garden loam, and five or six if it be sandy. 

 The hyacinth is hardy, and more likely to suffer from 

 wet than from frost ; so, if the soil be not very light, a 

 little gutter may be scraped out round the roots to drain 

 off the superabundant wet ; or the bulbs may be planted 

 on a sloping border, and that will answer the same purpose. 

 Thus planted, they will flower well even for three years. 



The more artistic method of growing hyacinths is plant- 

 ing them in beds, where the beautiful flowers and gay 

 variety of colour look very well. To make the beds, dig 

 out the earth in September to the depth of three feet, 

 and fill up to one foot above the surrounding ground 

 with sandy loam, mixed with leaf-mould and well rotted 

 cow-manure, or that from an old hot-bed. In October, 

 plant the roots six inches deep and six inches apart, and 

 during the winter protect them from severe frost and too 

 much wet. When the bloom comes an awning should 

 be put over the bed to shade it from sun and wet. As 

 soon as the flowering is over, give plenty of air, and 

 when the leaves turn yellow, take up the roots, label 

 each with its name and colour, and place them in an 

 airy shady place, until they are quite dry. Clean the 

 roots, rub off the dry rootlets, and store them, upside 

 down, on a shelf of laths until the time for planting 

 again. If canker attack them, slight injury may be cut 

 out, and rubbed with powdered chalk ; but if the canker 

 be extensive, the roots affected had better at once be 

 thrown away. Before replanting, the soil of the bed 

 should be partially renewed. The offsets may be planted 

 out for a year, when they too will be good roots. 



The single flowers will produce seed, which, in ripen- 

 ing, will sacrifice the parent root. If it be wished to 

 obtain new kinds, sow the seed as soon as it is ripe ; 

 the seedlings will come up the following spring, and, if 

 well cared for, will flower in from three to five years. 



To flower hyacinths in water, dark-coloured glasses 

 and rain-water are best, Place the roots for a few days 



