HYACINTH. 217 



taken off, and the bulbs be put into a basket, or sortie dry 

 place, where they may be secure from mice, &c. They 

 may be preserved in this manner until it is time to replant 

 them, when the old ones may be planted as before, and 

 the offsets, two, three, or more in a pot, according to their 

 size. Should any of the bulbs put out fibres while out of 

 the earth or water, it will be necessary to plant or set them 

 immediately, or they will be weakened, and will not flower 

 with vigour. The leaves should never be plucked until 

 they decay, or the bulb will thereby be deprived of a large 

 portion of its proper nourishment. 



The Grape Hyacinth, sometimes called Grape-Flower, 

 is hardy, and will thrive in the open air. It is a native of 

 the south of Europe, and blows in April or May. The 

 flowers are blue, purple, white, or ash-coloured, and have 

 an agreeable scent. The Purple Grape Hyacinth is 

 called Tassel-Hyacinth. " The whole stalk,"" says Parkin- 

 son, " with the flowers upon it, doth somewhat resemble a 

 long purse-tassel, and thereupon divers gentlewomen have 

 so named it." French, Jacinthe a toupet [Tufted Hya- 

 cinth] ; h vacinet de pres [meadow myrtle] ; in Lorraine, 

 ail de loup [wolfs garlic] ; in Anjou, ail de chien [dog's 

 garlic] ; poireau Mtard [bastard leek] ; at Rochelle, oignon 

 sauvage [wild onion] ; herbe du serpent [snake wort] ; in 

 Provence, lou congnou [wolf's onion]. Italian, cipolle ca- 

 nine [dog onion.] 



But so many beautiful varieties have been raised from 

 seed by attentive culture of the Eastern Hyacinth, that all 

 the other species are comparatively neglected. Tfc 

 Eastern, or Garden Hyacinth, is a native of the Levant : it 

 grows in abundance about Aleppo and Bagdad, where it 

 flowers in February. With us, when not forced, it usually 

 flowers in March or April. In Russia it has been found 

 with yellow flowers. Culture has produced very large 



