THE HYACINTH FROM AN ENGLISH POINT OF VIEW. 



Hyacinths grown in glasses are generally used for window 

 decoration, and they ought to be placed in the window when 

 making their growth, as they require both light and air at that 

 time ; but, of course, cold draughts are injurious. The bulbs 

 may be put in the glasses about the middle of October, and the 

 spikes must be kept in an upright position with neat wire sup- 

 ports. I may also add here that ware supports are by far the 

 best for plants grown in pots. The wires should be bent at the 

 base, to avoid injuring the bulbs when inserting them in the 

 soil. 



Varieties to cultivate. — Single varieties are the best either for 

 glasses or pots, but a few double ones produce good spikes, and 

 may be preferred by some, but only for pots, not glasses. I do 

 not care to grow a great number of varieties. It is better to 

 select those with distinct, decided, and pleasing colours, and 

 grow three, six, or a dozen of each variety. The varieties I cul- 

 tivate are — 



Single Bed. — Cavaignac, pale pink ; Fabiola, pale rose ; 

 Gigantea, clear rosy blush ; Macaulay, deep rose ; Lord Percy, 

 pale pink ; Princess Amelia, very pale pink — a superb variety ; 

 Duchess of Edinburgh, pink, handsome truss ; Koh-i-noor, 

 salmon pink, semi-double, the best of its colour ; Von Schiller, 

 deep salmon pink ; Vurbaak, bright crimson ; Roi des Beiges, 

 deep rosy red. 



Single White. — Alba maxima ; Baroness Van Tuyll ; La 

 Grandesse ; Mont Blanc ; Grandeur a merveille, blush white. 



Single Blue. — Czar Peter, pale lavender blue ; De Candolle, 

 lilac blue ; King of the Blues, dark blue, one of the best Hya- 

 cinths ; Lord Derby, clear azure blue ; Marie, dark blue ; Prin- 

 cess Mary of Cambridge, pale porcelain blue; Queen of the 

 Blues, clear pale blue ; Sir Henry Barkley, deep blackish blue ; 

 Souvenir de J. H. Veen, purple blue, very beautiful ; The Sultan, 

 deep purple blue. 



Single Yellow. — Bird of Paradise ; Ida. 



A few of the best Double Hyacinths are — 



Double Bed. — Disraeli, Lord Wellington, Noble par merite, 

 and Princess Louise. 



Double WJiite. — La Tour d'Auvergne ; La Virginite ; Non 

 plus Ultra, white, bluish centre. 



Double Blue. — Charles Dickens, fine dark blue ; Garrick, 



