PRODUCTION OF GRAPE-HYACINTH BULBS 3 
be eliminated on the basis of too close similarity, lack of suitable 
vigor, or some other shortcoming, except for connoisseurs and those 
demanding completeness of collections rather than the most deco- 
rative and best growers. 
The group is badly in need of botanical revision. Until this is 
accomplished there must be uncertainty regarding the names of the 
varieties. From a horticultural viewpoint this is not important, 
because the most desirable varieties are well recognized. 
Were the writer obliged to make a choice of one variety of grape 
hyacinth there would be no hesitancy in selecting Muscari conicum 
(PL I, figs. 1 and 2) because of its beauty and extremely satisfactory 
reproduction, perfect from bulblets and fairly good from seed. It 
is fully realized that the trade generally handles Heavenly Blue 
rather than Conicum, the objections to which are sometimes made 
that it is too dark in color, that the florets in the spike do not all 
open at one time, and that the lower florets are fading by the time 
the upper ones are open. Under glass the variety is much lighter in 
color than out of doors. Half of the florets are open and in good 
condition at one time, the unopened ones are the same color, and 
the opened ones are not unattractive after a measure of fading, so 
that the attractive life of the flower spike is prolonged by these 
very characteristics. This variety is much less widely known than 
Heavenly Blue. 
To those who delight in monstrosities the feathered hyacinth 
Muscari comosum and its variety plumosum will appeal, but it will 
never be used in such quantities as the group represented by M. 
conicum, being grown in dozens instead of thousands. In a list of 
the best varieties its mention is justified because it is decidedly 
different in many ways from other members of the genus. It is 
really in a class by itself. 
The most widely used and best-known variety is without doubt 
Heavenly Blue, and public estimation of the grape hyacinths is by 
this standard. It must be admitted, however, that the difference 
between Heavenly Blue and Conicum is mainly one of vigor and 
intensification of size and color. The two are closely related, and 
by the casual observer the one would commonly be accepted as an 
intensified form of the other. 
Besides several blue varieties the species Muscari botryoides has 
a white form (M. b. alba) and a light flesh-pink form (M. b. carnea), 
both of which have their place in ornamental borders but mainly 
in collections. These have proved comparatively weak varieties in 
these investigations, lacking the constitution and reproductive power 
of the best blue forms. 
Muscari azurea is a blue, unique not only in this genus but in 
the whole floral kingdom. It invariably makes a decided appeal 
and has the advantage of not thickening up and becoming crowded so 
quickly in permanent plantings as the forms of M. botryoides. 
There are said to be many forms of this in nature, and these were 
once available, but now only one or two are offered in the trade. 
Muscari rnonstrosum has some very interesting characteristics. It 
is a late variety, of a peculiar red-blue color and very odd inflores- 
cence, which extends as the florets open. It is a species for the 
border. 
