244 breck's xew book of flowers. 



of fine sand where each root is to be placed, then press 

 the bulb into the soil nearly its whole thickness, and 

 cover it completely with fine clean sand. Having com- 

 pleted the planting, the whole 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 substance ; 

 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 there are many sold every year, by 

 thousands, at auction, which are generally the refuse of 

 the Dutch gardens. A good root is perfectly hard, and 

 bright, without specks of rot upon it, and one that has not 

 pushed a bud. Roots of the finest varieties can be pur- 

 chased 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 a 

 hundred. 



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

 foliage begins to turn yellow, the bulbs may be taken up ; 

 then cut oif the flower stems, but not the foliage, and, hav- 

 ing prepared a sloping bed of light earth, the bulbs may 

 be laid upon it, so as not to touch, with the foliage down- 

 wards, covering the roots and fibres with earth. Here 

 they remain till the bulbs are sufl[iciently ripened, which 

 ^yill be in about a fortnight, when they may be taken up, 

 and, after they have been dried, cleared from the fibres, 

 soil, etc., they are 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 died down, and then taken up, dried and 

 cleaned, as before stated. 



