HYACINTH. 



262 



HYACINTHS. 



Hyacinth. 



Nothing is easier than the culture of 

 hyacinths. The best soil for them, and 

 indeed for all other bulbs, is composed of 

 equal parts of turfy loam and well-rotted 



SINGLE HYACINTH. 



cow or horse manure, at least two years 

 old, with a sixth part sharp gritty sand. 

 But they will grow in almost any soil, or 

 indeed without soil at all, in damp moss, 

 cocoanut- fibre refuse, water, or sand. 



Choice of Bulbs Early Management. 

 The first selection of hyacinths, as of most 

 other bulbous roots, arrives in London 

 from the 2Oth of August to the 5th of 

 September ; orders should therefore be 

 given for them as/ soon after that time as 

 possible. If it be inconvenient to plant 

 them immediately, they may be placed on 

 a cool dry shelf till wanted. The great 

 point is to choose good, firm, well-ripened 

 rather than lar%e bulbs, although, of course, 

 the larger the better if they are also well 

 ripened, and to pot or start them early, say 

 in October, when they should be purchased 

 of the seedsman. Then, by keeping the 

 tops in darkness, and the roots, if possible, 

 a little warmer than the tops, get the roots 

 as much in advance of the stem as possible. 

 If the pot or glass is once full of roots, 

 while the stem is only starting into growth, 



a good bloom, with ordinary care, is almost 

 certain. In this condition they may be 

 removed to a forcing pit, with a tempera- 

 ture of 55, to a conservatory shelf, pinery, 

 or peach house at work, or a sitting-room 

 or kitchen window, with almost entire 

 certainty of success. This, however, is 

 speaking generally of the culture of this 

 beautiful flower. It will be necessary to 

 describe in detail its culture under various 

 conditions and circumstances. 



Hyacinths in Moss. 



Fill a china bowl or other vessel with 

 fresh green moss cleared of all impurities. 

 Let this be well wetted, and lightly pressed 

 down ; in it plant the hyacinth bulbs, 

 covering them lightly with some of the 

 greenest moss. As soon as the hyacinths 

 are planted, place the bowl in a dark cool 

 place for about three weeks ; afterwards 

 keep it near a window, where the bulb will 

 have plenty of light and air. Be careful 

 that the moss is always kept damp, and 

 that the top moss round the bulbs is changed 



DOUBLE HYACINTH. 



frequently, in order that the surface may 

 be kept green. The moss best suited to 

 this purpose is that found on banks, or 

 grown upon the roots of old trees. 



Hyacinths in Open Ground. 



If the soil be light or medium, it simply 



