HYACINTHUS 



HYACINTHUS 



781 



cinth is extensively grown in Holland for export to this 

 and other countries, and consequently is commonly 

 known as the Dutch Hyacinth. Tlie Roman Hyacinth 

 (Figs. 1109-10) is var. Albulus, Baker (U. lilbnhis, Jord. 

 S. liomAnuSy Hort., not Linn. ) , is smaller and slenderer, 

 Ivs. narrower, very erect, lis. fewer, earlier, white or 

 blush, the tube cylindrical and .scarcely ventricose, the 

 segments narrower and usually proportionately sliorter. 

 Central France, and perhaps in the Mediterranean re- 

 gion. Much used for early bloom. The Hyacinth has 

 been cultivated for some centuries, and it shared some 

 of the early popularity of the tulip in the Netherlands. 

 E. orienialis is wild in Syria, Asia Minor, Greece and 

 Dalmatia. For a picture of a Plyacinth bulb, .see Fig. 

 288, Vol. I. 



Other species are sometimes seen in the gardens of 

 the curious, particularly H. amethystinus, Ijinn., Spain, 

 France (B.M. 2125. Uu. 47, p. 147|, and H. azureus, 

 Baker (B.M. C822. G.C. .HI. 21:1'.»1, var. giguiitcus), 

 Mediterranean region. The former is slender and grace- 

 ful, with light blue fls. in short racemes, standing nearly 

 or quite }i ft. high : fls. small, nodding, bell-shaped, 

 with short teeth-like segments. There is a white-fid. 

 foim. Good for rockeries. Hardy in the njiddle states. 

 The latter species is by some considered to be a 

 form of if. cilialns, Cj'rill. Looks like a (irape Hya- 

 I'iuth (or Jtuscari) : 4-8 in. tall, with strongly canalicu- 

 late, glaucous Ivs.: fls. blue, fragrant, in a dense spike 

 1 in. long, tiibular, with small teeth. Distinguished 

 from the genus Muscari by the perianth segments being 

 tlariug instead of incurved. Hardy in middle states. 

 H. fastigiatus, Bertol. (//. Pok^oI^U, (lay) is a Corsican 

 species, which is hardy in southern New England. It is 

 a delicate species, with very narrow Ivs., scape 3-5 in. 

 high and shorter than the Ivs. : fls. few, in a loose 

 cluster, %-}'i in. long and light blue (a wdiite form), with 

 oblong-lanceolate segments longer than the tube. B.M. 

 iiC63. Hyacintlius liomiiiins, of Linmeus, is not the H. 

 Jfnmanus of horticulturists (which is the Roman Hya- 

 cinth, H. orienfalis, var. al- 

 bulus). Linnseus' species is a 

 blue-white, scilla-like plant (see 

 B.M. 939) . S. cdvdicavs is now 

 referred to Galtonia. For gen- 

 eral cultural notes, see Bidbs. 

 L. H. B. 

 Culture of the Hyacinth. 

 — The perfection of the flower 

 depends largely ui>on the 

 strength of the roots, and as 

 Hyacinths make all their root 

 growi:h in the fall, the bulbs 

 should be planted early, — say 

 from the beginning to the mid- 

 dle of October. Any good gar- 

 soil suits, provided it is 

 drained. The ground 

 should be carefully pre- 

 pared by spading to a 

 depth of 20 inches, so that 

 the roots may pass straight 

 through it to their full de- 

 velopment of 12 or 16 

 inches. If the soil is nat- 

 urally stiff it may be light- 

 ened by the addition of 

 some sand, and if the beds 

 have been occupied by 

 other plants during the 

 summer, some pure old 

 cow manure, well worked 

 in, is recommended. Horse 

 manure should not be 

 used. 



The bulbs should be 

 planted inches deep (to 

 the bottom of the bulbs) 

 and very uniformly, to in- 

 sure simultaneous flowering. The ground having been 

 prepared as above, perhaps the best way is to remove 3 

 or 4 inches of the soil, level the bed carefully with the 

 rake and set the bulbs in it 5 or 6 inches apart each 

 way, pressing them in firmly, and then covering them 



9. Roman Hyacinth. 



1108. Common or Dutch 

 Hyacinth. 



evenly with the soil that had been taken out. When 

 \Yinter sets in, the beds should be covered witn 2 inches 

 of dry litter or coarse manure. As soon as the shoots 

 appear above ground in the spring. 1 inch of this cover- 

 ing should be removed and 

 the balance when danj^er 

 from late frosts is past. 

 Unnamed Hyacinths in sepa- 

 rate colors can be bought 

 cheaply, and when grown in 

 masses of solid color or in 

 design beds, they make a 

 very rich display. 



I<^orciiig in Pots. — For this 

 purpose large, solid bulbs 

 should be selected, and pot- 

 ted singly in 5-iuch pots in 

 a rich compost of loam, leaf- 

 mold and some sharp sand. 

 A few pieces of broken pot 

 being placed in the bottom 

 for drainage, the pots should 

 be filled lightly, and the 

 bulbs pressed into the loose 

 soil till only the apex re- 

 mains above the surface. 

 The pots are then buried to 

 a depth of 8 or 10 inches in 

 tlie open ground for seven 

 or eight weeks, till the roots 

 are developed fully and the 

 sprout is al>out Wn in. above 

 the bulb. "When taken inside 

 thf'V should be kept in sub- 

 dued light, at a temperature 

 of about 50°, until the sprout 

 has assumed a vigorous 

 green color. Florists who 

 force large numbers for win- 

 ter decorati<ins, settliem un 

 der the greenhouse benches 

 for about two weeks, and 



then force them in a temperature of 70°. A gmiter heat 

 than this attenuates the growth and weakens tlio color. 

 Syringing with water twice a day is recommended, and 

 as the flower-spike develops weak manure water is help- 

 ful. The slower Hyacinths are forced the finer and 

 more lasting will be the bloom. Bulbs wanted in flower 

 for Christmas should be potted in September, and for a 

 succession later, at intervals as desired. Single Hya- 

 cinths are handsomer and force better than tlie double, 

 although a few of the latter may be recommended. The 

 fullowing are among the best adapted for forcing and 

 most largely grown by American florists: 



Single Blue : 



BaroTi vau Thiiyll. China-blue. 



Charles Dickens. Dark noreelaiu. 



Czar Peter. Light blue. 



King of the Blues. Dark blue. 



Leonidas. Clear blue. 



Queen of the Blue.s. Lit:ht blue. 



Regulu-s. Porcelain-blue. 

 DocBLE Blue : 



Charh^-^ Tiickens. Dnrk blue. 



\i.\.ii ypeyk. Lilac-blue. 

 SiNtiLE White : 



Alba siiperbissima. Pure -n-hite. 



Baroness van Thuyll. Pure white. 



Grandeur ;\ Jlerveille. Blush-white. 



La Grandesse. Pure while. 



L'lnnocence. Pure white. 



Madame Vanderhoop. Pure white. 



Mont Blane. Pure white. 



Pai:s de rEurope. Pure white. 

 Double "White : 



La Tour d'Auvergne. Pure white. 



Prince of Waterloo. Pure white. 

 Single Rep : 



Charles Dickens. Pink. 



Gertrude, Bright pink. 



Gigantea. Bright rose. 



Moreno. Waxy pink. 



Norma. Delicate waxy pink. 



Robert Steiger. Crimson. 



Sultan Favorite. Salmon. 



