218 



CASSELL'S POPULAR GARDENING. 



sweet-scented spikes of pure white blossoms may be 

 obtained. Roman Hyacinths should be bought and 

 potted either in August or September. August-potted 

 bulbs will flower during November, and those potted 

 later would carry on a succession till Christmas, 

 when the earliest Dutch varieties may be had in 

 bloom. There are the white and the blue Roman 

 Hyacinth, the white being the sort chiefly grown. 

 The Italian Hyacinth, like the Roman, is almost 

 identical with the wild form of H. orientalis, from 

 which have sprung the Dutch and other races. The 

 Italian is not as early as the Roman, but is as 

 valuable, and particularly the double white variety, 

 which may be had in bloom by Christmas time, 

 when it is invaluable. For soil, mode of potting, 

 and after-treatment, see culture of the Dutch 

 sorts. 



The propagation of Hyacinths is so seldom if ever 

 practised in this country, that there is no need 

 to describe the various methods followed by the bulb- 

 growers in Holland, where bulb-culture is a national 

 industry. They raise new sorts from seed, and 

 particular sorts are propagated largely by offsets and 

 bulblets obtained by division of the parent bulbs, 

 some being more productive of offsets than others. 



Hyacintlius amethystirms is a charming 

 little hardy bulb, in the way of the common Wood 

 Hyacinth (Scilla nutans). It flowers with the late 

 Scillas about April, and flourishes in any light warm 

 soil. The white variety of it is much prized. What 

 are commonly called Grape Hyacinths, Feathered 

 Hyacinths, and Musk Hyacinths, all belong to the 

 genus Muscari, and H. candicans is described under 

 its correct name, Galtonia. 



H. Mexicana, also called 

 H. littoralis, is a good 

 kind for the green-house. 

 It has evergreen foliage, 

 and flowers freely in a 

 moderate temperature. 



H. rotata, from the South- 

 ern States of North Ame- 

 rica, is almost hardy. 

 Being a beautiful plant it 

 is quite worth frame or 

 green-house culture, as 

 it is only in the most 

 favoured places that it 



will succeed well unpro- 

 tected. It is of dwarf 

 growth, aijd produces 

 heads of white flowers. 

 H. speciosa is a deciduous 

 plant, and therefore needs 

 more attention than the 

 evergreen kinds, and re- 

 quires a decided rest by 

 being kept drier when the 

 foliage is gone. The 

 flowers are white and 

 fragrant. 



Culture. — The tropical Hymenocallises require a 

 warm and moist stove, and as they are nearly all 

 evergreen, their treatment is simple, there being no 

 decided resting season — a critical period with most 

 deciduous bulbs. During summer they can scarcely 

 have too much water, but in autumn and during 

 winter they should be kept comparatively dry until 

 the spring. They have no definite flowering season ; 

 sometimes they bloom in the depth of winter, when 

 their flowers are most valued, but they flower most 

 plentifully about early summer. All the- species like 

 a good loamy soil ; as most of them are gross feeders, 

 a portion of decayed manure may be added with 

 advantage to the compost. They are impatient of 

 being over-potted ; indeed, they thrive best when 

 the pots are crammed with roots, provided they are 

 stimulated with liquid manure now and then. They 

 are easily increased by offsets, separated at potting 

 time in early spring. The bulblets may be treated 

 the same as the large plants. Seedlings may also be 

 raised in the same manner as other stove bulbs. 

 The green-house and half-hardy species require the 

 same general treatment. 



Iris {Bulbous). — See Xiphion. 



Hymenocallis. — The Hymenocallis and Tan- 

 cratium so nearly resemble each other, that it is 

 a difficult matter to distinguish the difference be- 

 tween the two genera, hence they have become 

 somewhat confused in gardens. The species of both 

 genera are natives of tropical and sub-tropical 

 America ; most of the species of both have large 

 evergreen foliage, and the form of the flowers is 

 much the same, and invariably white. 



The following include the most desirable species : 



Ismene. — There are about half a dozen species of 

 Ismene known, all natives of tropical and temperate 

 America. All are deciduous, producing erect flower- 

 stems carrying heads of large flowers, similar to 

 those of Pancratium and Hymenocallis. 



Culture. — The Ismenes can be grown in the stove, 

 green -house, or even the open air, the chief condition 

 to observe being the thorough ripening of the bulbs, 

 and perfect rest when leafless. Keep them dry and 

 cool when at rest, but water plentifully when in 

 active growth. The bulbs are usually obtainable in 

 a dry state from nurseries during the autumn 

 months, and should be potted at once, and kept dry 

 till spring, or placed in sand during winter ; in either 

 case perfect dryness is essential. 



The following are the principal species in gardens : 



H. adnata — leaves narrow; 

 flowers snow-white. Acu- 

 tifolia is similar, but has 

 narrower leaves. 



H. Caribbaea— a lovely West 

 Indian plant, having fra- 

 grant flowers. Requires 

 a strong moist heat for its 

 successful growth. 



H. fragrans has deliriously 

 perfumed flowers of the 

 purest white, and ever- 

 green leaves. It is suit- 

 able for warm green-house 



culture. H. amcena and 

 H. ovata may be classed 

 with fragraris, as they are 

 similar, and require the 

 same treatment. 

 H. macrostephana — the 

 finest of the genus pro- 

 duces huge heads of from 

 six to a dozen white and 

 fragrant flowers. It is 

 evergreen, and is easily 

 grown in a warm and 

 moist stove. H. Eegina is 

 a similar plant. 



I. Amancaes (the Peruvian 

 Daffodil) has large yel- 

 low and fragrant flowers, 

 borne in clusters on tall 

 stems, with a funnel-like 



crown. It often flowers 

 twice in a year — summer 

 and late autumn. It may 

 either be grown in a stove 

 or greenhouse. The va- 



