HYACINTH. 
91 
To cultivate Hyacinths successfully, the following 
rules will be useful. 
Hyacinths will grow in almost any soil provided it 
be light and dry, for although they require a good deal 
of water during their growth, yet if the soil be reten¬ 
tive of water the bulbs will decay, and if the soil is not 
naturally sandy, a good quantity of sand should be 
mixed with it, but in preparing the beds, sea sand 
is preferable to any other, if it can be procured. 
The beds on which the bulbs are to be planted 
should be made about four feet wide, and dug a full 
spade deep ; and about two or three inches of decay¬ 
ed cattle manure laid at the bottom of the trench, but 
not mixed with the soil, for if the bulbs come in con¬ 
tact with it, it causes them to decay. 
Always make the bed by the middle of October, 
which will be about a fortnight before the time of 
planting : this gives it time to settle properly. 
Time of Planting.— The best time for planting Hy¬ 
acinths is the beginning of November, for if planted 
too early, the leaves will appear above the ground 
before winter, and they are liable to be injured by 
frost and wet; and if kept too long out of the ground, 
the bulbs will be weakened by their tendency to veg¬ 
etate. 
Choice of Bulbs.— The bulbs most likely to flower 
best, are those of a middle size, solid and conical. All 
flat crowned ones are apt to break into offsets, and 
at best produce very poor flowers. 
