THE HYACINTH. 



567 



shrubs, and one or two trees, may be scattered 

 through the scene for the purposes of shelter and 

 Ihade, but in general most of either of these two 

 last are injurious to the proper culture of flowers. 

 Sometimes the evergreen hedge will produce aU 

 the shelter requisite. 



The subsoil should by no means be wet. 

 Flowers, in general, thrive well in a common 

 garden soil, a foot to eighteen inches deep, not 

 either too rich, or too light and gravelly. For 

 some kinds, however, a deep moist soil, and for 

 others, a light arenaceous is preferable. Bulbous 

 flowers, in general, do best in light sandy earth, 

 though some require a stronger and richer soil. 

 The primrose tribe (primula) require a loamy 

 earth, heath plants a mixture of moss earth. 

 The spaces between the flower beds may either 

 be of turf, or sandy gravel, or paved with flags 

 or bricks. The plants are arranged in mingled 

 flower borders, partly according to their size, and 

 partly according to colour. The tallest are 

 planted in the back part, those of middling size 

 occupy the centre, and those of humble growth 

 are planted in front. The beauty of a flower 

 border, when in bloom, depends very much on 

 the tasteful disposition of the plants with regard 

 to colour. By intermingling plants which flower 

 in succession, the beauty of the border may be 

 prolonged for some weeks ; groups of plants of 

 the same species, all in flower at the same time, 

 liave also a tasteful efi^ect. A supply of water 

 is essential to an artificial cultivation of flowers; 

 where a pond or reservoir can be introduced into 

 the flower garden, it will not only add to the 

 beauty, but to the facility of cultivation. Many 

 aquatic plants of great beauty may, by this 

 means, be also cultivated. Herbaceous flower 

 plants are put into the ground generally in 

 spring or autumn, but any perennial plant may 

 be safely removed after it has done flowering, or 

 produced seed. Biennials or annuals may be 

 planted at almost any season, before they 

 have begun to throw up flower stems. Bien- 

 nials, however, are generally sown early in 

 autumn, in the flower garden nursery, and trans- 

 planted either late in the same season, or early in 

 the following spring to where they are to flower. 

 Annuals are commonly sown in spring, where 

 they are finally to remain, but many species 

 gi'ow much stronger when sown in autumn. 

 Some attention is also requisite to manage the 

 flower garden to perfection. As the stalks of 

 flowering plants shoot up they generally require 

 thinning and props for support, and the blossom 

 both of plants and shrubs no sooner expands 

 than it begins to wither, and must be cut oflr 

 unless as in some instances thej' are to be left 

 for the beauty of their fruit. Weeding, water- 

 ing, stin-ingthe soil, and trimming the grass, and 

 sorting the gravel walks, are all necessary for 

 neatness and the proper growth of the plants. 



Every two or three years the perennial flowers 

 should be taken up and reduced in size, and 

 the beds or borders trenched, adding short 

 manure completely rotted. After the lapse of 

 several years, if it can be conveniently managed, 

 the upper soil should be removed, and replaced 

 by fresh loamy mould. Most flowers thrive 

 well in fresh common loam without manure ; 

 and to such as require a deep rich soil, manure 

 may be added at the time of trenching, or chang- 

 ing the soil. Peat earth, sand, clay, and lime 

 may also be added to such plants as require par- 

 ticular soils. 



Many tender plants and shrubs growing in the 

 open air require protection during winter. Alpine 

 plants require protection from cold dry winds, 

 and this may be done by covering them with 

 snow, and thus imitating their natural condition; 

 or in absence of this, head glasses or frames are 

 to be put over them in winter, and screens or 

 shades to keep them from the summer heat. 

 The roots of many plants require protection 

 from frost, and this may be done by covering 

 them several inches thick with ashes, rotten tan 

 refuse, or litter; mats or portable glass cases will 

 protect tender plants from rain, high winds, and 

 hail stones. Great care is necessary to protect 

 plants placed in pots from frost, and this is done 

 by plunging them in dry soil, tan, or sand. Climb- 

 ing plants require to be supported by poles or 

 rods. All flies, caterpillars, snails, slugs, and such 

 vermin must be destroyed, and no plan is more 

 efficacious for this purpose, in the flower garden, 

 than carefully hand-picking the plants. Among 

 insects the different species of plant lice 

 (aphides) are the most insidious and destruc- 

 tive. 



Flowers may be preserved for a considerable 

 time fresh after they have been cut from the 

 plant by immersing the cut ends in water, moist 

 earth, or sand, or moistened moss. They may 

 also be revived when partially withered, by 

 sprinkling them with water, and putting them 

 under a bell glass or inverted flower pot. If this 

 fails, immerse their ends in water heated to 80°, 

 or sprinkle them with spirit of wine, or ether ; 

 flowers, when newly transplanted either into 

 the ground or into pots, require a large sup- 

 ply of water, and to be shaded from the sun's 

 rays for several days until they fully take root in 

 their new position. 



Besides herbaceous flower plants, there are a 

 variety of shrubs and trees, both indigenous and 

 exotic, which are conducive to ornament. We 

 shall first treat of the herbaceous class. 



The Uy AcmjH, hyacinihus oricntalis. Natural 

 iamWy, asphodelece; hexandria, monogt/nia of Lin - 

 nseus. This plant is a native of the Levant, and 

 grows in abundance about Aleppo and Bagdad. 

 It obtained its name from the Grecian youth 

 Hyacinthus, who was fabled to have been slaiu 



