76 THE HYACINTH. 



always late bloomers ; and it is as useless to attempt to 

 obtain a Christmas bloom from a late-blooming variety as 

 to obtain a satisfactory March bloom from a bulb which 

 naturally blooms early. 



After blooming, water should be gradually withheld from 

 the plants until the foliage turns yellow, when watering 

 should be wholly discontinued, and the bulb allowed to rest. 



Miniature hyacinths, now so popular, are only matured 

 small roots of named hyacinths, which bloom finely for their 

 size, and are well adapted for parlor culture. 



PROPAGATION. 



Hyacinths are propagated by offsets, by cross-cuts, by 

 hollowing, and by seed. 



By Offsets. — The little bulbs, or offsets, should not be 

 pulled off of the parent bulb, but all should be planted 

 together ; and, when the offsets have produced a stool or 

 root-base, they may be removed, and treated like old bulbs. 



By Cross-cuts. — Choose the strongest and healthiest 

 bulbs, and make four cross-cuts in the root-end half-way up 

 the bulb. This should be done when the bulb is taken up 

 in June. It should then be treated like the other bulbs ; 



