THE HYACINTH FROM AN ENGLISH POINT OF VIEW. 



63 



Double Bed. — Disraeli. 

 Double Blue. — Magnificent. 



Single Bed. — King of the Keds, La Belle, Mr. Krelage. 



Single Lilac. — Challenger, Harlequin, Distinction, The Shah. 



Single Blue. — Duke of Connaught, General Gordon, Surprise, 

 Souvenir de J. H. Veen, The Sultan, Electra, Queen of the 

 Blues. 



Single Yellow. — Marchioness of Lome, Primrose Perfection, 

 Queen of the Yellows, Rowland Hill. 



The exhibitions held in England have been the means of 

 making known numerous good varieties of Hyacinths, and there 

 are many English nurserymen who also know them now — which 

 cannot be said to have been the case some years ago, when it 

 was so easy for dishonest exporters to sell old varieties for new 

 and more expensive ones with very little chance that their trick 

 would ever come to light. It was a hard thing for people who 

 did not adopt such methods to compete where the terms 

 were so unequal, but first-class exhibitions are the only means 

 of removing this evil. Therefore a word of thanks is due to the 

 Royal Horticultural Society for the assistance we have received 

 from it in showing our improvements to the English public, and 

 for the interest it has shown in our plants by giving them 

 awards and certificates. 



THE HYACINTH FROM AN ENGLISH POINT 

 OF VIEW. 



By Mr. James Douglas, F.R.H.S., Ilford. 



[Bead March 26, 1889. J 



The Hyacinth was probably introduced into England about the 

 end of the sixteenth century. In the last years of that century 

 an important work on Gardening was published by Mr. John 

 Gerard, a physician of London, entitled the " History of Plants " ; 

 and at page 100 there is a plate of the Blue Oriental Hyacinth, 

 but it has only three flowers on its spike. A double variety is 

 also mentioned, having blue or sky-coloured flowers. Gerard 

 also writes of an importation of Hyacinths. He says : " There is 



