THE HYACINTH. 
219 
top of the truss or spike ; one is enough if you 
can ensure it, though two are left until it is 
seen that the top one will stand. These beds 
need not have any protection beyond a little 
litter of some kind loosely laid upon the top. 
When the foliage has decayed down, the bulbs 
may be taken up as the matured ones are, and 
the whole sorted ; the larger ones to be put in 
six inches apart instead of three ; they are to be 
replanted and treated similarly each year until 
they arrive at the size which is marketable, 
and this may be generally told by the size of 
the spike, which should be reduced to a single 
top pip, season after season, until it will come 
sufficiently large to look well with the matured 
bulbs. The object of depriving the spike of 
its buds all but one, is to throw the strength 
that would be divided among the flowers into 
the bulb itself. 
RAISING FROM SEED. 
Hyacinths readily yield seed when in the 
open ground, though rarely when housed or 
forced. This seed should not be gathered till 
the vessels turn yellow, when it may be cut 
off with the stem, and placed in the sun to 
dry. Prepare a bed as for the offsets, and 
having raked the surface very smooth, sow the 
seed very thinly and evenly all over it ; then 
sift more of the compost over the seed so as to 
cover half an inch. When the young plants 
come up they will not be without weeds, 
which must, as soon as they can be got hold of, 
be removed by hand : nothing will prove more 
mischievous than allowing weeds to grow ; 
and therefore it must be looked upon as abso- 
lutely necessary to prevent it by hand weeding 
as often as may be required, even twice in a 
week, for the small bulbs must not be inter- 
rupted by the fibres of weeds. When the 
foliage has died down, once more clear the 
bed of weeds, and sift a good inch and a half 
of compost upon them all over : this will not 
be too deep for the plants to come through, 
and it will be a great protection against frost ; 
but besides this, it will be necessary to place 
some litter on the surface all the winter 
months. They will come up much stronger 
the second season, and must be constantly 
weeded as before : when the foliage has died 
down again, the bulbs will be large enough to 
take up. Let the bed be prepared as before, 
and in September, or early in October, plant 
them three inches apart in the row, and six 
inches from row to row like offsets, and this 
to be repeated season after season, except that 
when large enough to justify it, they are to be 
placed six inches apart, instead of three. As 
they indicate bloom, treat them as offsets are 
treated, by pulling off all the pips but one or 
two at the top of the spike ; continue this 
until they are matured in size and strong in 
flower. When however they first begin to 
throw up bloom, throw away any one not 
better than we have got, for new things not 
better than those we already possess are worth- 
less, except as mixtures. As soon therefore 
as any of this kind show themselves, condemn 
them. Generally speaking the improvements 
on old sorts are so few, that the cultivator will 
have but little trouble to mark the few worth 
propagating ; the rest may be considered 
defunct, and only fit for borders. 
MONTHLY OPERATIONS. 
Januarf. — The bulbs being in the ground, 
and requiring nothing but protection against 
hard frosts, should be covered with litter of 
some kind. 
February. — A continuation of protec- 
tion being all that is required, the litter need 
not be removed until the plants are breaking 
through the surface. 
March. — The beds may now have the sun, 
and all the air if there be no frost ; but must 
have the litter replaced on doubtful evenings, 
lest a frost should come on in the night. As 
soon as they are well up the earth should be 
stirred between the roots, the compost being 
well crumbled and laid close round the stems. 
April. — The flowers will be developing 
themselves rapidly if the spring has been mild, 
and the past winter genial. Before the flowers 
are opened warm showers will be beneficial ; 
afterwards they would only damage the bloom. 
The main roots will continue in bloom a long 
time, if carefully shaded. The offset buds 
must be looked to, and the pips reduced on 
each spike to one or two of the top ones ; so 
also must seedlings that are beginning to 
flower. Younger seedlings, as well as the beds 
generally, must be carefully weeded. 
May. — When the bloom has passed the per- 
fection sufficiently to be no longer appreciated 
for show, the coverings of every description 
must be taken off, but until then the sun ought 
never to shine on the open flowers. An arid 
sun and moderate rain are however desirable 
for the perfecting of the bulbs. Keep every 
thing clear of weeds. Mark any seedlings 
that are likely to be useful as additions to the 
present varieties. 
June. — This month the foliage will in 
general decay enough to allow of the bulbs to 
be taken up and placed in the shade to dry ; 
those however which are seeding will not be 
so far advanced, they will keep growing until 
the seed is almost ripe ; of course there must 
be exceptions in favour of such plants. We 
have seen nearly every flower in a bed seed, 
and the plants keep growing, till a late period ; 
but if seed is not desired, the pips of bloom 
should be picked off as soon as the cloth is 
removed, or the other coverings taken away. 
July. — This month they will have dried 
