JUSTICE ON HYACINTHS. 535 



nor ever suffer those roots to continue in the ground two 

 years, for they must be lifted every year. 



5to, Do not plant good and sound hyacinth roots in the 

 same bed, or near to roots which you see are not sound, seem- 

 ingly rotten or unseemly in their appearance ; for sucli roots 

 will infect wholesome ones. 



6to, Be sure to sow hyacinth seeds every year, for thereby 

 you may raise (as I did) many different fine sorts of those 

 flowers, as good, and more to be depended upon, than such 

 as we get from Holland. 



7mo, If you do not sow their seeds, or that you want to in- 

 crease some of the prettiest sorts of them, and these roots are 

 shy to off-set, (which is often the case with many of their best 

 sorts) you are to use the following method to obtain off-sets 

 from them, and which are more to be depended upon for 

 their flowering handsomely, than the roots you get from Hol- 

 land. The method is thus : a fortnight after they are past their 

 bloom, take such roots as you chuse to have off-sets from, out 

 of the ground, cut off their long leaves and flower-stems, but 

 do not take off their fibres; and just above the circle from 

 whence spring these fibres, cut the bulb cross-ways in four 

 quarters, a third part into its substance, but so as not to touch 

 its innermost coats or its heart, then wiping it with a cloth, 

 put it into the ground again, and cover it with no more than 

 one inch of ground ; lift this root again in three or four 

 weeks afterwards, and lay it again into the root-room with 

 the others, and at the usual season replant it with the other 

 roots. This root will not bear a flower the ensuing season, 

 but in place thereof, will, at lifting season, give you six, eight, 

 or ten large off-sets, which, as they are bred (I may say) in 

 our soil and climate, are much more to be depended upon for 

 blossoming well, and for continuing to do so, than any roots 

 we get from Holland. Nor is there any fear of their roots 

 degenerating, provided they are lifted out of the ground 

 every year, and that the new soil here prescribed is given to 

 them annually at their being replanted, together with the 

 other directions here prescribed for their culture : And as I 

 have had repeated experience, I affirm it, that I have had the 

 same roots blossom fair with me for six years toute suite , and 

 would have continued to have blossomed some years longer, 

 if the roots had not expended their strength by off- setting. 

 If you continue them two years in the ground without lift- 



