r>S^ APPENDIX. 



the hand only, and not with any instrument, in case of in- 

 juring the young buds of the leaves and flowers of the hya- 

 cinths, which are then boldly springing to the surface of the 

 ground. As soon as I perceived tne leaves and flowers-buds 

 come above ground, looking my written pocket index of roots, 

 and the method of planting them by their names to the dif- 

 ferent roots, near by them I affixed labels of wood, with 

 painted numbers on them, as marked in an index, such as 

 No. 1. to Morgrn Star, double white, and No. 2. to Passe- 

 toutc, double blue hyacinths, and so on, through the whole 

 bed, so as one cannot be mistaken to lay those roots distinct- 

 ly in their respective repositories, in the root room, at lifting 

 season, when their flowers are decayed, and some of their 

 leaves gone. This I notice here, for the benefit of a distinct 

 florist, or nurseryman in flowers, for his exactness, and which 

 was always my practice. You must put some covers over 

 these flowers when they are in bloom, and even before they 

 blossom, to preserve their flower-buds before they open, from 

 frost, snow, haill, or much rain. The Dutch plant their best 

 hyacinths into frames made of wood, in shape and form like 

 unto these frames under which early cucumbers are raised, 

 and have wooden covers for them in winter, and lift these 

 higher up when their flowers are in bloom. But with sub- 

 mission to these eminent florists, I would never advise such 

 covers ; for by this method of covering these flowers, they are 

 drawn up and choaked, which ends in the ruin of their roots, 

 as I have often seen, and sometimes experienced. 



The best covers for hyacinths when they are in bloom,, are 

 painted cloth or mats, sustained by arched hoops, which may 

 be fixed on frames upheld by 2 feet high stakes of timber, 

 drove into the ground of the alleys of the beds where they 

 are planted ; these frames may lift wholly off, or if the frames 

 continue on the beds, the mats or cloth may be so contrived, 

 as to take off at pleasure, to give all air in mild weather, 

 which will preserve the flowers and their roots in good health. 



When the stalks of the flowers spire up, I tied them 

 first gently below the bells to iron-wires, made on pur- 

 jxjse ; and when the bells separate, open and prepare for 

 flowering, I tied a piece of bass-mat genteely betwixt the 

 bills, to sustain their stems and flowers to the wires, which 

 makes a very handsome; appearance; and when their flow- 

 ers arc faded, I gathered up their long leaves and stems 



