HYACINTHS. 261 



als retain their qualities for six or seven years, but the 

 Dutch do not plant hyacinths upon the same place for two 

 years successively. In the alternate years they plant it 

 with narcissus or crocus. We may mention that, in one of 

 the finest beds of hyacinths ever seen in Scotland, a con- 

 siderable portion of the soil was composed of sleech, a sort 

 of sandy and marly deposition from the ooze on the shores 

 of the Forth. 



According to Mr. Main, St. Crispin's day, the 25th of 

 October, is the best to plant the bulbs. They are generally 

 arranged in rows, eight inches asunder, there being four 

 rows in each bed ; or, if more convenient, they may be 

 placed in rows across the bed. The bulbs are sunk about 

 three or four inches deep, and it is recommended to put a 

 small quantity of clean sand below and all around each. 

 As the roots are liable to be injured by frost, it is usual to 

 cover the beds with decayed tanners' bark, with litter, or 

 with awnings. The first may be considered the neatest 

 during winter, but an awning is nearly indispensable in 

 spring, when the lingering colds prove exceeding hurtful to 

 the young flower-stems. The awning may be made of 

 coarse sheeting or duck. As the flower-stems appear, they 

 are tied to little rods to keep them upright and preserve 

 them from accident. In order to perfect the colors, the 

 rays of the sun are admitted in the morning or in the eve- 

 ning, but the glare of mid-day and the cold of night are 

 both excluded. When the season of blossom is over, the 

 awning is removed, or only replaced to keep off heavy 

 rains. Much of the success, in the culture of this flower, 

 depends on the subsequent management of the bulbs. It 

 is the practice in Holland, about a month after the bloom, 

 or when the tips of the leaves assume a withered appear- 

 ance, to dig up the roots, and, cutting off the stem and the 



