GARDEN HYACINTH. 89 



light ; for, if the weather has been such during 

 the bloom that it has been much used, the health 

 of the plants will be somewhat impaired. They 

 will not have that constitutional vigour which a 

 full share of air and light would have imparted ; 

 and therefore should be exposed as soon as 

 possible. The hoops may however he replaced, 

 io allow of covering with mats, &c. in case of 

 excessive rain. 



When the stems and leaves become yellow 

 and withered, which usually happens in about a 

 month after the bloom, the bulbs should be taken 

 up and laid on the surface of the bed, and lightly 

 covered with sand or with part of the compost. 

 If it be a named collection, each bulb is taken up 

 and laid on the same spot sideways, and there 

 covered over for the space of three weeks, to 

 ripen, as it is called ; that is, lulled into perfect 

 repose before they are consigned to their places 

 in the store-boxes. When the time arrives to do 

 this the bulbs are taken up one by one, the dead 

 remains of the stem and leaves are cut off close, 

 the loose skins and fibres cleaned away, and the 



