HYACINTH 133 



Hyacinths are most popular winter- or spring - 

 flowering bulbs. Hyacinths are hardy, but they are often 

 used as window or greenhouse plants. They are easy to 

 grow and very satisfactory. For winter flowering the bulbs 

 should be procured early in the fall, potted in October in soil 

 composed of loam, leaf-mold and sand. If ordinary flower 

 pots are used, put in the bottom a few pieces of broken pots, 

 charcoal or small stones for drainage ; then fill the pot with 

 dirt, so that when the bulb is planted the top will be on a 

 level with the rim of the pot. Fill in around the bulb with 

 soil, leaving just the tip of the bulb showing. These pots of 

 bulbs should be placed in a cold pit, cellar or on the shady 

 side of a building. In all cases, plunge the pot in some cool ma- 

 terial (as cinders). Before the weather becomes cold enough 

 to freeze a crust on the ground, the pots should have a protec- 

 tion of straw or leaves to keep the bulbs from severe freez- 

 ing. In from six to eight weeks the bulbs should have made 

 roots enough to grow the plant, and the pots may be 

 placed in a cool room for a short time. When the plants have 

 started into growth, they may be placed in a warmer situa- 

 tion. Watering should be carefully attended to from this 

 time, and when the plant is in bloom the pot may be set in a 

 saucer or other shallow dish containing water. After flower- 

 ing, the bulbs may be ripened by gradually witholding water 

 until the leaves die. They may then be planted out in the 

 border, where they will bloom each spring for a number of 

 years, but will never prove satisfactory for forcing again. 

 The open ground culture of Hyacinths is the same as for 

 tulips, which see. See Bulbs. 



Water Culture of Hyacinths. The Hyacinth is the most 

 popular of the Dutch bulbs for growing in vases. The Nar- 

 cissus may be grown in water, and do just as well, but it is 

 not as pretty in glasses as the Hyacinth. Glasses for Hya- 

 cinths may be had of florists who deal in supplies, and in 

 various shapes and colors. The usual form is tall and nar- 

 row, with a cup-like mouth to receive the bulb. They are 



