vn.] 



LIST OF FLOWERS. 



287 



July. When in bloom it adds to the ornament of gardens, and 

 in winter its bunches of fruit produce a singular effect in parlours, 

 where it is often kept. Propagated by seed sowed in open earth, 

 as soon as ripe, and in a sunny situation. It does not blow till 

 the second year, but afterwards sows itself. 



504. HOP, common. — Lat. Humulus Lupulus. A hardy peren- 

 nial plant, common in England. Blows a green flower from June 

 till August. Propagated by seed or separating the roots. Likes a 

 deep loamy soil. Its flower does not recommend it to the florist ; 

 but its large and handsome clusters of fruit, and its general hand- 

 some and luxuriant growth, lit it well for an ornamental climber, 

 either to run up single stakes given it for the purpose, or to climb 

 over arbours, or through the branches of trees, where it makes 

 a very pretty shew indeed. As to its other uses see Hop, in 

 Chapter V. 



505. HOUSE-LEEK, mountain. — Lat. Sempervivum. A hardy 

 perennial from Switzerland. Five or eight inches high, and blows 

 a purple flower in June and July. Propagated by its suckers. As 

 it grows naturally in dry and rocky places, and on the tops of 

 houses, it is necessary, when planting it in pots, to put at the 

 bottom a good deal of dry rubbish and old plaster. 



506. HYACINTH. — Lat. Hyacinthus Orientalis. There are 

 now two thousand varieties of this beautiful bulb distinguished by 

 the Dutch florists. It was originally from the Levant, but, by the 

 care and cultivation bestowed on it by the florists of Haarlem, and 

 other places of Hofland, the oriental plant is infinitely surpassed 

 by those of the north. To procure fresh varieties, it is necessary 

 to sow the seed ; and to propagate from roots already produced, 

 you take the ofl*sets and bring these forward to flower ; but of 

 the sowing I shall speak fully at the end of this article. I will 

 now relate how to proceed with bulbs already obtained and old 

 enough to flower. Begin by marking out the sized bed that you 

 wish to have, placing stoutish pegs at each corner, and in two or 

 three places along the sides and ends ; dig out the earth to twelve 

 inches deep, then put in one of the three composts that I shall 

 enumerate below, enough to fill the square up to within two inches 

 of the rest of the ground ; make the surface as even as a die ; 

 mark out with a small line a set of lines lengthways of your bed 

 and not more than six inches apart ; do the same then across the 

 bed, observing to let the lines be at the same distance from one 



