138 BULBS AND TUBEROUS-BOOTED PLANTS. 



HOLLAND BULBS. 

 See Fritillaria, Hyacinth, Narcissus and Tulip. 



HOMERIA. 



This is another of the many genera of Cape bulbs, 

 belonging to Iridaceae, and formerly included in the 

 genus Moraea. They are all ornamental, and remarka- 

 ble for the abundance and long continuance of their 

 flowers, lasting the entire summer. They require the 

 protection of a frame during winter, but no other care 

 is necessary to produce their flowers in the greatest 

 abundance, or for the increase of their bulbs, which is 

 by offsets. 



H. lineata. The most common of the species; 

 flowers coppery red, with a metallic luster, produced in 

 abundance from June to September. 



H. elegans (spicata). A beautiful species with 

 orange-yellow flowers. 



The other species do not materially differ from those 

 described. They all have scarlet or yellow flowers, and 

 are worthy of cultivation. 



HONEY GAELIC. 



See Nectaroscordum. 



HYACINTH. 



Prominent in the list of bulbs is the Hyacinth, and 

 the one, moreover, which is most grown for early spring 

 flowers in the garden, and for pot culture in the window 

 garden. Although it is one of the best known bulbs, 

 there are only three or four distinct species in the genus, 

 and all our garden varieties have come from Hya- 

 cinthus orientalis, a species that contains several varie- 

 ties, the seeds from which, by cross-fertilization, which 

 is readily affected, have produced varieties almost innu- 

 merable. The early history of the garden Hyacinth* is 



