318 FLOHA DOMESTICA. 



and double varieties of this Hyacinth. It is very sweet- 

 scented, and much valued for the variety of its colours, 

 which makes a number of them together appear very mag- 

 nificent. 



Mr. Miller says that we had formerly no other varieties 

 of this Hyacinth in the English gardens than the single 

 and double white, and blue; from the seeds of these, a 

 few others were raised in England, and also by the Flemish 

 gardeners, who came over annually with their flower-roots 

 to vend in England : but the gardeners in Holland, within 

 the last fifty years before his time, raised so many fine 

 varieties, as to render the former of little or no value. 

 Long after the Hyacinth had attracted the attention of 

 florists, the double flowers seem to have been held in little 

 esteem. 



Peter Foorlem, of Haarlem, a noted cultivator of Hya- 

 cinths, was accustomed to throw the double flowers out of 

 his collection; till once that he had been prevented by 

 illness from visiting his flowers till just as they were going 

 oiF, there happened to be one double flower remaining. 

 It fixed his attention ; not for any superior excellence, for 

 it was small, and not particularly handsome ; but, perhaps, 

 because it was alone. He cultivated it, and increased it 

 by offsets ; florists saw, admired, and offered him a good 

 price for it. He then became as zealous in cultivating his 

 double flowers, as he had hitherto been in casting them 

 away. The first double flower he raised was named 

 Mary ; this variety, and the next two that were produced, 

 have been lost. The King of Great Britain is now con- 

 sidered as the oldest double Hyacinth. When it first 

 appeared, it was preferred above all the other varieties then 

 known; and the price of it was considerably above one 

 thousand guilders. From that time great attention has 

 been paid to the culture of this beautiful flower : and 



