10 
CULTURE OF THE HYACINTH. 
injurious more or less ; dry litter answers the end much better than either rotten 
dung or turf ; but when the weather is windy, this is apt to be blown off, and make 
the garden look uncleanly. The best way of all is to hoop the bed over, and cover 
it, when necessary, with mats; for moderate rains and slight frosts covering need 
not be resorted to, if about three inches thickness of old tan be laid over the bed on 
the approach of winter ; that is, about the beginning of December. 
10. When the weather is fine, the bed must always be exposed to effects of the 
sun and air, or the roots will grow and flower weakly. 
11. From the beginning to the middle of April the flowers will begin to show 
their colours. If the sun is powerful, shading must be resorted to, or some of the 
finer coloured sorts will be faded ; this may be done by means of mats and hoops ; 
but a neater covering is that of an awning, which should extend over the walk 
round the bed also. The framework of this awning merely consists of four or more 
posts about seven feet six inches high, being placed firm in the ground, either two 
or more on each side the bed, according to its length ; on these posts should be 
fixed a frame made of light materials, in the form of the roof of a house. On the 
roof of this frame, and as far down the sides as is necessary, the sheet or canvass 
may be strained, and if rolled up or let down by means of cords and pulleys it will 
still be more convenient. 
12. When the flower-stems have grown about four inches high, it will be 
necessary to tie them to neat thin sticks, or they are liable to be broken by the 
wind. 
13. Unless the season be excessively dry, watering is always unnecessary, for the 
dews and rains which fall upon the beds are usually more than sufficient. And 
after the flowers fade, and the foliage begins to die, moisture becomes injurious. 
14. As soon as the flowers begin to fade, the awning should be removed, or the 
bulbs will be greatly weakened : still the roots must be preserved from heavy rains 
by means of mats and hoops ; the mats being thrown over just at the time of the 
shower, and removed as soon as it is over. 
15. When the leaves are somewhat withered, immediately proceed to take up 
the bulbs ; carefully avoid cutting off the leaves until they are perfectly dead, 
for if the tops be cut off too soon, canker and rottenness is the consequence. 
16. When they are taken up, rake the surface smooth on part of the bed, and 
spread about an inch thickness of sand over it ; then lay the bulbs on the sand at 
such a distance as not to touch each other, and cover them with dry sand, being 
careful not to cover the dying leaves ; there let them remain exposed to as much 
sunshine as possible, but secured from all rains or moisture until the roots are perfectly 
ripe, which will be in about a fortnight or three weeks. 
17. When the bulbs are thoroughly ripe, which will be known by the leaves 
having become entirely shrivelled and dead, cut the tops off from the crown of the 
bulb quite close, taking care not to cut into the living part of the crown ; rub off the 
dead fibres, and spread the bulbs in a dry airy room for a few days, cleaning off all 
soil or dead loose skins that may adhere to them, separate the offsets, and wrap up 
the bulbs in paper bags until the time of planting again. 
