D. M. FERRY 



CO. 



DETROIT, MICH 



HYACINTHS 



Ready for delivery in September 



The Hyacinth is so well and so favorably known that any description of it or any statement of its merits v, ould 

 be superfluous. Through centuries of careful cultivation and selection it has been brought to a state of perfection* 

 which will scarcely be improved in any great degree. It succeeds well in the house and garden, adorning both with the 

 varied colors and delicious fragrance of its showy flowers. Its culture is very simple and if attention is paid to the 

 following directions, failure is almost impossible. 



Pot Culture in the House— Plant from September to December iu rich, sandy loam, in four or five inch pots, inserting 

 the bulb so that its top will be just below the surface. Do not pack the soil in the pots, as the bulbs will be much less 

 likely to push out when the root gro-«-th commences if the soil is loose. A splendid mass effect may be had by planting 

 a considerable number of bulbs in a flat or window-box; all the bulbs should be of the same variety to insure blooming 

 together. Water thoroughly and set the pots or boxes away in a cool, dark place for several weeks. If cold coffee is used 

 occasionally instead of water, it will often increase in intensity the coloring of the flowers. Keeping in the dark will 

 allow the roots to grow and become firmly fixed in the soil, when the plants can be brought into the hght and will at 



once commence the top growth. By bringing 

 the pots into the light at different times, 

 something of a succession of bloom may 

 be had. During their growth they should be 

 kept near the light and at a temperature of 

 50 to 70 degrees and watered frequently. 

 Where good garden soil is not readily pro- 

 curable, bulbs can be very satisfactorily 

 grown in sphagnum moss. A small quantity 

 of some good fertilizer may be used. 



Outdoor Culture in Beds or Borders— The 



bulbs may be planted almost any time from 

 October until the ground is frozen solid, but 

 it is advisable to purchase early, before 

 our stocks are depleted. They succeed in 

 any good, well drained garden soil which 

 should be well spaded, and will be better if 

 some well rotted manure is mixed through it. 

 Set the bulbs so that the tops will be between 

 three and four inches below the surface and 

 six to ten inches apart. Pack a little sand 

 under and about them if it is convenient, 

 being careful that none of the manure comes 

 in direct contact with the bulbs. 



Before very severe weather comes on it is 

 advisable to cover the beds with straw, leaves 

 or manure, to protect them from severe cold 

 during winter but care should be taken that 

 this covering is not too thick and dense, as the 

 bulbs are as likely to be injured by being 

 kept too warm as by freezing. The covering 

 should be removed as early in the spring as 

 severe freezing is over and growth commences. 



If the bulbs are taken up after they be- 

 come well ripened and are stored in a cool 

 dry place they will bloom the next season, 

 but the difficulty of keeping them at the 

 right temperature and moisture is so great in 

 our climate that we cannot recommend the 

 attempt. If they are left in the ground they 

 will ordinarily produce some inferior flowers 

 the next year. In most cases it will be 

 more satisfactory to secure a fresh stock 

 of large, finely grown bulbs each season. 



Glass Culture— To grow in glasses, select 

 dark colored glass, fill with water until the 

 base of each bulb rests on the water and set 

 away in the dark as directed for pot culture. 

 Fill up the glass with water as fast as it 

 evaporates. If the water becomes impure it 

 should be changed and the roots well cleansed, 

 before putting in again. A small piece of 

 charcoal put in the glass will keep the water 

 pure much longer. After the roots have 

 attained a good growth the glass can be 

 brought into the light and placed in a cool 

 room near a window. Give the plants plenty 

 of light and as much fresh air as possible 

 without a direct draught. Keep the glasses 

 sufficiently full of water. Do not keep them 

 in a close, warm room, nor about a fireplace. 

 If removed out of the direct rays of the sun 

 JACQUES (See pngp 3) when in bloom the flowers will last longer. 



