On the Cultivation of Ilyacinths. 407 



er spikes too early, as they frequently do, before the season has 

 become sufficiently moderate to prevent their being damaged by 

 early frosts. We have seen our hyacinth beds, when in full 

 bloom, covered with snow an inch deep; and one year the wea- 

 ther was so severe that the flower spikes were frozen so hard that 

 not a single bell could have been touched without its breaking 

 off; the bulbs, however, did not appear to have suffered, and the 

 flowers remained in beauty some time after. It is therefore ne- 

 cessary, particularly in our climate, to let the frost penetrate 

 nearly to the bulbs before the beds are covered. In the spring 

 the covering should not be removed until the shoots have pro- 

 truded through the surface of the bed, (which may be easily dis- 

 covered,) in which case it will be necessary to take it off. It 

 should not be carried away, but laid by the bed, so that it may 

 again be thrown over, if the weather should be severe. 



When the shoots have advanced an inch or two above the sur- 

 face, the soil between the rows should be stirred very carefully 

 with a small trowel. During winter it becomes hard, and this 

 operation is very beneficial to the bulbs. When the flower buds 

 begin to expand the spikes should be tied to small sticks, neatly 

 painted green, so as to prevent the winds and heavy rains which 

 often occur at this season from beating them down to the ground. 

 If there is any danger of frost, the bed or beds, if not large, 

 may be easily covered with mats, by erecting a slight frame. If 

 the beds are large, then a little hay or straw lightly strewn over 

 them will prevent the frost, unless remarkably severe, from in- 

 juring the buds. When in full flower the beds may be kept in 

 beauty a great length of time, by erecting an awning over 

 them; this, besides serving to preserve the bloom, will also shel- 

 ter them from high winds and severe rains. 



When the blossoms have faded the flower spikes should be 

 cut off; and as soon as the leaves assume a yellow tinge, (which 

 is generally about the middle of June,) the bulbs should be ta- 

 ken up, and the decayed foliage cut off to within two or three 

 inches of the top: they should then be laid upon their sides, in 

 the same bed, with their tops towards the north, and should be 

 covered with an inch or two of very dry soil, or sand, and 

 remain in this situation about three weeks, during which time 

 they should not be exposed to heavy rains, or very hot sunshine; 

 in either case, mats, or a covering of some kind, should be 

 thrown over, or the bulbs will be liable to injury: at the expira- 

 tion of this period they may be taken up and very carefully 

 cleared from all loose fibres, and put up in papers and laid away 

 in a dry room. In Holland the commercial gardeners have houses 

 erected on purpose to store their bulbs. 



The offsets are managed in the same manner as the old bulbs, 

 with the exception that they should be set out rather earlier, and 



