1894.] ESSAYS. 43 



■wiuuer, then cost 100 guilders a bulb, while another, Gloria Mundi, 

 cost 500 guilders, equal to $200 of our money, but, as values were at 

 that time, much more relatively. These prices are taken from a 

 Dutch grower's catalogue of 1754, and are not ligures from fancy. In 

 1755 we have the first record of their being grown in glasses. 



Of late years single flowered sorts have been most popular, and few 

 will question the justice of the preference. In some of the newer 

 varieties a great improvement has been attained in the size of the 

 individual flowers, the breadth of their lobes, and in brilliancy and 

 depth of color. 



New varieties are produced from the seeds of fertilized flowers. 

 Clear colors are selected for crossing. The seed is sown in August, 

 sometimes in pots, but generally in specially prepared beds, in which 

 the growth and strength of the new plants are greatly promoted . The 

 seed beds are protected by straw during Winter and the plants show 

 themselves in early Spring. The bulblets are lifted about midsummer, 

 placed under cover and allowed to dry off with the leaves on. In 

 September they are replanted in poor, sandy soil, underneath which is 

 put a foot of the richest material possible, consisting of cow dung, 

 river mud, and sand. The Dutch growers are particular not to allow 

 any manure to touch the bulbs. They rest in clear, sharp sand, with 

 which they are also covered. This treatment results in the bulbs pro- 

 duced being shapely, clean and hard skinned. The sand also serves 

 to protect the bulbs from the attacks of insects ; its sharpness hinders 

 their approach. It may be well for us to remember this fact in plant- 

 ing other bulbs besides hyacinths and tulips. Hyacinths usually 

 bloom at four years from seed, but a five years old bulb gives better 

 and stronger flowers. 



The great bulk of hyacinths are grown from offsets or small bulblets 

 obtained by cutting large bulbs and growing them one year. Several 

 methods are in practice for obtaining these offsets. In the case of 

 old, well known sorts, for which there is a sure demand yearly, the 

 old bulbs are cut so as to produce the largest bulblets the first year. 

 If the variety to be propagated is rare and costly the bulbs are cut so 

 as to produce the greatest number of bulblets. These last will be so 

 small that they must be grown five or six years before they are of 

 marketable size. The method commonly practised is to cut the old 

 bulbs twice at the base. This is done in June or July. The bulbs 

 are then laid on shelves, where the sections cut, partly open and in 

 five or six weeks a small bulblet will be found formed at each scale 

 where cut. The mother bulbs are planted in September, about seven 



