one or two of each color — to the sitting, or the dining-room, for special occasions, but always 
returned to their cool quarters for the night. By this method they not only flower well, but keep 
in bloom a long time. Change the water occasionally, if 
it becomes discolored. The choice named varieties groM' 
best in glasses and pots, and single are more reliable 
than double sorts for house-culture, while they are in every 
respect as desirable. Some of the double sorts do well in 
the house, but the selection of varieties should be left to 
those who have some knowledge of their habits. 
Hyacinths should be planted in the garden in Septem- 
ber, October or November. For beds of early flowers 
on the lawn, nothing excels the Hyacinth. Where beds 
are small and so near together that they can all be seen at 
once, it is well to fill each one with a separate color. 
Plant Hyacinths in the garden from three to four inches 
below the surface of the soil, and in ground likely to be 
much affected by freezing and thawing, be sure to give a 
good covering before severe frosts. Hyacinth flowers may 
be cut freely, without injury to the bulbs. Indeed, all flower 
stalks should be removed as soon as the flowers begin to 
fade. In about five or six weeks after flowering, and when 
the leaves are becoming yellow, the bulbs may be taken 
up, dried, and 
packed away 
in paper bags 
or boxes, for 
planting again 
in the fall. If 
the beds are 
needed for 
other flowers, 
as is generally 
the case, the bulbs may be removed in about two 
weeks after the flowers have faded. In this case, after 
removing the flower stems, if this has not been done 
before, place the bulbs on a dry bed in the garden, and 
cover them with a little earth, leaving the leaves 
exposed. Here they can remain until the leaves have 
ripened, when they are ready to be packed away for 
fall planting, or can remain where they are until 
needed. 
Hyacinths will usually commence flowering in this 
latitude the latter part of April, and by choosing the 
Early and Late varieties, a good show of blossoms 
can be secured for about three weeks if the weather 
is not too hot and dry. The Late varieties are mostly ; 
double, and are from one to two weeks later than the 
Early sorts. The Low sorts throw up a stem five or 
six inches in height, and the trusses are usually globu- 
lar and compact. The Tall sorts have a flower stem 
from six to ten inches or more in height, and the 
trusses are usually more loose. The Roman Hyacinth is a very early flowering, white variety, 
that comes into bloom about the Holidays, and therefore is very popular with florists for cut flowers. 
The spikes are small, the flowers somewhat scattering, but each bulb gives several spikes, usually. 
130 
SINGLE HYACINTH. 
DOUBLE HYACINTH. 
