The Gardener's New Director. C195 



planted a double white and a double blue Hyacinth in the 

 firfl: row, and fo alternately the whole length of the bed, 

 oblerving to plant thole together which come in at the 

 fame time, that is early blowers, fecond blowers, and 

 late blowers, all by themfelves ; the fecond row I be- 

 gan with a double blue, and then a double white, in the 

 quincunx order, to the end of the row, and in the fame 

 manner with the third and fourth rows. /\s foon as I 

 perceived their leaves appearing, I examined my pocket 

 index of roots, in order to fet down their labels, with 

 numbers on them as marked in the index, fuch as, No. i. 

 to Morgen ftar double white, and No. 2. to Pajfctoute 

 double blue Hyacinths, and fo on through the whole bed, 

 fo as to preferve tleir diminutions at the feafon of lifting, 

 as have been directed. You muft obferve to ufe your 

 covers not only when the flowers are in bloom, but be- 

 fore they bloffom, to protect their flower-buds before 

 they open, from trofl:, fnow, hail, or much rain. 



The beif coverings fur Hyacinths are painted cloths or 

 matts, fuflained liy arched hoops, which are fixed on 

 frames to the height of two feet : The preient method of 

 inclofmg the beds with flrong boards is bert, as they not 

 only keep them well inclofed, but admit fliaples in their 

 fides to receive the hoops, fo that the covering is foon 

 laid on, or removed, as the weather makes it necefTary ; 

 thefe coverings mufl: be removed in mild weather to pre- 

 ferve the flowers and roots in good health. 



When the flalks of the flowers fpired up, I very gently 

 tied them below the b^lls to iron wires, made for the 

 purpofe, as I already obferved ; and when the bells fe- 

 parate, open, and prepare for flowering, I gently tied a 

 piece of bafs mat between tl.e bells, to iullain ihtiT ftems 

 and flowers to the wire, wl'ich makes a very handl.me 

 app; arance ; .:'nd as foon as their flowers were quite faded, 

 1 gatiiered up their long leaves and lied ihem to the 

 wires, but fo loofely as not to break or hinder them from 

 growirg ; this is only to preferve them from breaking or 

 wind-wavnj.. Five or fix weeks after they have done 

 blowing, and their green leaves are turninu, yellow lour 

 or five inches below their tops, I cat ctV lly lifted t!iem <iut 

 of the ground, immediately cutting off their leaves and 

 ftems clofe to their bulbs. Another method tQ be pur- 



X a fu«d, 



