HYACINTH. 219 



such has been the rage for it, that from one to two thousand 

 guilders have been given for a single root. That is, from 

 one to two hundred pounds sterling. 



" The Haarlem gardeners have nearly two thousand 

 varieties of the Hyacinth," says Mr. Martyn, " of which 

 they generally publish a catalogue every year. New ones 

 are annually produced, and in the circuit of that town 

 alone, whole acres together are covered with these 

 flowers." 



The common Hyacinth, in French, Jacinthe des bois 

 [Wood Hyacinth], is a native of Persia, and of many parts 

 of Europe. In the spring it is very common in our woods, 

 hedges, &c. and on this account our old botanists have 

 given it the name of the English Hyacinth. It is fami- 

 liarly called the Harebell : 



" In the lone copse, or shadowy dell, 

 Wild clustered knots of harebells blow." 



MRS. C. SMITH. 



*' The harebell, for her stainless azured hue, 

 Claims to be worn by none but those are true." 



W. BROWNE. 



The fresh roots of this plant are said by Dr. Withering 

 to be poisonous. Gerarde tells us that the juice which 

 they contain answers the purposes of gum, and that with 

 the exception of the Wake-Robin, it makes the best 

 starch. This gum was used by fletchers to fix the feathers 

 to arrows. The Harebell is sometimes white, or flesh- 

 coloured, but much more commonly blue, or violet-co- 

 loured. 



" The fanciful term of Hyacinthus non-scriptus, by 

 which it is botanically distinguished," says Mr. Martyn, 

 " was applied to this plant by Dodoneus, because it has 

 not the Ai on the petals, and therefore is not the poetical 

 Hyacinth." 



