DESCRIPTIVE I,TS;T OF FLOWEUS. 241 



ceeds in any good garden soil ; but better in a moist low 

 ground. It is well adaj^ted forplantiiig in the shrubbery. 

 H. vesicarius. — African Hibiscus. — This is a plant of 

 extremely easy culture; should be planted early in the 

 spring. The petals are large and showy, of a straw color, 

 the centre a deep rich brown or purple, finely contrasted 

 with the brilliant gold color of the anthers. The flowers 

 quickly perish, but, to compensate for their frailty, it con- 

 tinues to bloom from June to September. 



HYACINTHUS.-Hyacinth. 



[A name from ancient Mythology.] 



"Hyacinth, with sappliire bell 

 Curling backwards." 



" The youths whose locks divinely spreading. 

 Like vernal Hyacinths in sullen hue." 



Hyacinthus Olientsilis.— The Garden Hyacinth. — Is a 

 highly esteemed florist's flower, of easy culture, of which 

 more than one thousand varieties are cultivated in Holland, 

 forming quite an important item in the exports of that 

 country, and from whence. Great Britain, the United 

 States, and all Europe, and, in f ict, all parts of the world, 

 receive their annual supplies. Hyacinths are double and 

 single ; of various colors, embracing every shade of red, 

 from a deep crimson pink, down to white; of blue, from 

 Avhite to almost black, and some few yellow and salmon 

 color ; but the shades of yellow are not very brilliant, and 

 appear yellow only in contrast with the white. Some of 

 the white, and other light varieties, have red, blue, j^ur- 

 ple or yellow eyes, which add much to the beauty of the 

 flower; and others are more or less striped or shaded; 

 and some are tipped with green. The double varieties 

 are generally considered the finest, but many of the single 

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