VAN KAAJPEN ON HYACINTHS. 537 



as to prevent any communication with the subsoil. Then 

 the hole is to be filled up with compost, six inches above the 

 level of the garden. The compost should be laid into the 

 designed bed, about a month before the roots are planted ; 

 for if it be put in later, the earth might settle while the roots 

 are in it, which would lay them too deep. 



Planting. — The proper season for putting in the bulbs 

 is October or November. They ought to be set at the depth 

 of four or five inches ; but early flowering varieties may be 

 one inch deeper, which will bring them to flower at the same 

 time with the others. (P. 8.) 



Protecting during Winter. — In hard frosts the beds should 

 be covered with tanners-bark, leaves or straw, to the depth 

 of three or four inches.' This covering should be removed 

 early in spring, before the rising plant has penetrated it, 

 otherwise the leaves get a pale disagreeable yellow colour. 

 The beginning of spring, however, being subject to great 

 uncertainty, those that plant in beds having boards along the 

 sides, should make use of sliders or covers during the night, 

 or in great winds or frosts : those that plant in a terrass, 

 must take care to cover them, with mats or reeds, which 

 should rest on supporters two or three feet from the ground. 



(p. 11.) 



Supports. — The flowers are to be supported by means of 

 strong wires, two feet long and painted green : these are to 

 be stuck into the ground as near the plant as possible with- 

 out touching the bulb ; and the stalk is to be tied to the 

 wire, with a green thread, above the lowest bell. (P. 12.) 



Shades. — When the flowers are almost in full blow, a shade 

 of canvas, in the form of a tent, is proper, for screening the 

 whole bed both from sun and rain ; the awning being so con- 

 trived, that the canvas may be raised in the mornings and 

 evenings, &c. (P. 13.) 



Taking up the Bulbs. — We take up the roots as soon as 

 the leaves begin to wither, that is, when their plants begin to 

 turn yellow. We then break off the stems an inch above 

 the bulbs, which we afterwards cover with earth, in which 

 they are to lie till the gross moisture be dried up by the 

 warmth of the sun. We make a little heap of earth, and 

 place the roots in it, bottom downwards as they grew ; and 

 the heap is covered with an inch or two of soil. When 

 the bulbs have lain in this heap for three weeks, they arc to 



