524 L iliacecz Hyacin thus. 



town are annually devoted to the exclusive culture of these 

 plants, and millions of bulbs are yearly sent to England, 

 France, and Germany. This extraordinary success is due 

 chiefly to the patient care which the Dutch expend upon 

 them, and then the perfect suitability of the soil and climate 

 conditions not met with to the same degree elsewhere, and 

 which probably will assure them the monopoly of this branch 

 of floriculture for some time to come yet. 



The nature of the soil in the vicinity of Haarlem and other 

 parts appropriated to the culture of bulbous plants is quite 

 peculiar. Situated at the base of the Dunes, which form a 

 natural breakwater on the Dutch coast, it is composed like 

 them of a deposit of sand mingled with alluvial mud. Besides 

 which it is full of fresh water, which reaches it by infiltration, 

 and appears at a depth of 3 to 6 feet according to the situation. 

 This water rises to the roots of the plants by means of the capil- 

 larity of the soil, and just in proportion to their needs. On 

 the other hand, this porosity of the soil allows the rain-water 

 to escape freely. These conditions, coupled with a mild climate 

 and cloudy sky, are eminently favourable to the growth and 

 flowering of this class of plants, and are almost unattainable 

 out of the Netherlands. 



The extent of variation in Hyacinths is almost unlimited in 

 the colour, size, doubleness, and odour of the flowers. White, 

 cream, flesh, pink, rose, lilac, bright red, carmine, crimson, 

 purple, violet, slate, gray, and blue of various shades to nearly 

 black, are found both in the single and double varieties ; and 

 either more or less fragrant or quite scentless. There are also 

 striped and shaded varieties, and some of the white ones have 

 a purple, red, violet or yellow eye. A list of even the best 

 varieties of the present time would be of so little service in a 

 year or two that we prefer retaining the space it would occupy, 

 especially as good descriptive catalogues are annually published 

 by all the leading florists. They rank amongst the best of 

 hardy bulbs for embellishing the borders and beds in Spring, as 

 they retain their beauty for a long period. 



//. amethystmus is a pretty little species from the South of 

 Europe with loose spikes of smaller bright blue flowers on 

 slender pedicels, and linear leaves equalling or exceeding the 

 flower-scape. It is quite hardy and flowers in April and May. 

 It is sometimes called the Spanish Hyacinth. 



H. JRomanus, syn. Bellevcdia operculata, etc., Roman 



