10G JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. L February 9,is&a. 
The same description is confirmed by Rea, who, speaking of 
“ The Early White Oriental Jacinth," says—“There is another 
of this kind that beareth purple flowers that come as early, for 
which property they are chiefly respected." So that, although 
the purple variety is not so extensively cultivated nor so well 
known as the white, it is nevertheless as old, and appears to 
have been co-existent with it. The reason of its being less 
cultivated may be accounted for by what M. Vilmorin says 
respecting its worthlessness. But we have recently had a blue 
Roman Hyacinth brought to our notice, and which has lately 
been a subject of remark in the pages of this Journal. We 
were at first induced to believe that this was really a variety of 
the Roman Hyacinth ; but to make sure that our surmise was 
correct we communicated both with M. Henry Vilmorin and 
Mr. Krelage of Haarlem on the subject. The reply of the 
former we have already given, and having sent Mr. Krelage 
specimens of what were represented to us as the blue Roman 
Hyacinth, we now give his reply, which will, we are sure, be 
interesting and acceptable to our readers. 
“ I have just received your box with flowers of blue French Hy¬ 
acinths. It is without doubt the true single blue French Hyacinth, 
called now a-days in England the blue Roman Hyacinth, probably 
to make it sell better. There is a great difference in forcing this 
blue form with that of the true white early Roman Hyacinth with a 
white or yellow bulb. The latter can be had early in flower in 
December, and even in November if treated accordingly ; but 
with the same treatment the blue form is at least three weeks 
later. There is a white French Hyacinth with a blue bulb, also 
one called Italian White with a violet bulb, which flowers just at 
the same time as your blue Roman—viz., about three weeks later 
than the earliest Roman White. It is probable all these forms 
are different varieties of the Hyacinthus orientalis, which must 
have been always cultivated in southern regions to keep their 
properties of so early blooming. It is a fact when the earliest 
white Roman Hyacinth is cultivated here several years in the open 
ground it becomes later and unfitted for the earliest forcing. 
“ In former years we had here a form of Hyacinthus orientalis 
which flowered in January and February in the open ground, 
with small blue flowers. It was called Januarius, and I suppose 
it is now lost. It was a very different plant. This form always 
remained as early as before. It may be that in very old books 
some of these French forms are already described. I have an 
idea that some of them might have been cultivated unaltered for 
a long period. On the contrary, the old forms of Hyacinthus 
orientalis have been abandoned, to be replaced by better varieties. 
“ There is certainly some interest in the history of the old forma 
of Hyacinths, but it is a difficult matter, which needs study in 
a great number of old books. I have many of them under my 
hand, but have not yet found leisure to go into the matter. 
“ The wild oriental Hyacinth is probably some other form, and 
even here we must, I suppose, be prudent in making conclusions. 
The Hyacinth is, as well as the Tulip, a very variable plant, and 
it seems to me probable that in a wild state there are to be found 
several variations, and that there are found of them now more 
than there were two or three hundred years ago when the first 
forms were examined. The recent researches of Dr. E. Regel 
have proved that in Tulips in the wild state of a great number of 
species more than one variety has been found. Something similar 
may have occurred with the Hyacinth, and then in earliness the 
wild form may sometimes be improved by cultivation.” 
The plants that were sent to us by Messrs. Jones & Sons of 
Shrewsbury appear, without doubt, to be the blue French or 
Parisian Hyacinths ; and if the examples sent to us by “ A 
, Cultivator of Bulbs,” which were smaller and inferior, were 
obtained from Italy or the Riviera, the differences between our 
correspondents are in a great measure reconciled, for M. Vil¬ 
morin describes the variety from the sources indicated as 
“ practically worthless," the very verdict arrived at by a corre¬ 
spondent who is one of the most extensive private growers of 
Hyacinths in Britain. 
VINES AT LONGLEAT. 
( Continued from page 87.) 
MAKING THE BORDERS. 
Many who have seen the luxuriance of the Vines 
here have exclaimed, “ Ah ! they have something under 
them,” and have been rather incredulous when the 
nature of the border was explained. The truth is, too 
much importance is attached to the composition of 
soils for Vines as well as for other plants. Given a 
medium for the roots which is of a suitable texture, is 
well drained and not too rich in decomposing matter, 
or not actually poisonous, every requisite may be added 
at any time from the surface. Were I starting Vine¬ 
growing on any but a clay subsoil I should not hesitate, 
if there were 20 inches depth of soil, to plant Vines 
with no more preparation than I should make for an 
Apple tree. We know that men of great ability and 
reputation have said that you cannot overfeed either a 
Rose or a Vine. I have proved the fallacy of this as 
far as the Rose is concerned, and hope some day to do 
as much for the Vine. What is there in the nature of 
a Vine to require such rich material ? True, it bears 
a heavy weight of fruit compared with its own weight, 
but not more so than a Gooseberry or a Currant, and 
a very great proportion of that fruit is simply water. 
I am aware that those who have won great honours at 
exhibitions have had expensive borders, and for that 
reason I have always considered that they receive more 
credit than is due to them, for probably were some of 
them to attempt to grow fruit for market they would 
fail to make ends meet. When a man can add a yard 
wide of new compost to his Vine border every two or 
three years Grape-growing should be an easy matter. 
It makes him independent of the nature of the soil, 
because in any soil on which a tree will grow, a Vine 
can be made to produce excellent Grapes for at least a 
year or two. True, it may be short of some of the 
necessary ingredients, but none of these can be alto¬ 
gether absent. A further supply in a couple of years 
will keep them going all right, and the special deficiency 
may never be discovered. But all this is haphazard 
work, and will not pay in the commercial times to 
which we are all fast drifting. We must endeavour to 
know what a Vine needs, and be able to supply it in a 
less cumbrous mode than by carting scores of tons of 
fresh turf every other season. Perhaps I am not with¬ 
out a suspicion of the fox’s complaint in this matter. 
As I have been unable for several years to obtain fresh 
turf I may as well decide that it is not necessary, and 
I admit that I should have continued using it if I could 
have had it. On the other hand it is good that I have 
learned to do almost without it. ‘ ■ But you had an 
enormous quantity to start with,” says someone who 
knows. True, but that which was turf twelve years 
ago and has had Vines growing in it ever since is not 
turf now, and I do not hesitate to say that the natural 
soil in most places would be more durable. 
The reason plants grow so well in fresh turf is— 
First, because the roots of the grass keep it in good 
condition mechanically; secondly, because the con¬ 
tinuous decay of these roots furnish the necessary food 
derived from a vegetable source ; and thirdly, because 
of the minerals contained in the soil. Some of the 
latter may be deficient, but if fresh additions are made 
at short intervals the plants will find all they want, for 
they are good foragers. Now, though in fresh turf we 
have a sure medium of supplying all these necessaries, 
it is quite possible and less expensive, when we know 
how to do it, to supply them in other ways. I do not 
pretend to know all about it, but in feeling my way I 
have not been without some success, and hope for much 
more. 
My borders, which it will be remembered are entirely 
