92 
HYACINTH. 
Manner of Planting.— The bed having well set¬ 
tled, prepare to plant by raking the surface level, and 
mark out the rows on the bed, either lengthwise or 
across, eight inches apart, which can be easily done by 
means of a line or rod, and draw drills either with a 
hoe or spade, about four inches deep, beginning in the 
center of the bed. Mark the exact part for each bulb 
in the row eight inches apart, and lay in each marked 
spot a small quantity of sand for the bulbs to rest upon. 
This being done, select the bulbs, and place them in 
the situations appointed for them ; carefully avoiding 
two of the same color succeeding each other; then 
place a little more sand around and upon each bulb so 
as to cover it. Return the soil over the row, proceed 
with the next, placing the bulbs at similar distances, 
but so that they shall form triangles w ith those in 
the adjoining rows ; and when the whole is planted, 
smooth the surface, and the business is completed. 
The bulbs that are usually imported from Holland, 
seldom flower more than one or two years ; for at the 
second year they break into offsets, which require two 
or three years growth to arrive at sufficient size for 
flowering again. 
Protecting the Beds.— -In exposed situations, the 
beds may be covered with a little straw or other cov¬ 
ering as soon as planted, to preserve the bulbs from 
frost, and they may remain covered till the spring, when 
they should be exposed to the influence of the sun 
and air, or they will grow weakly. 
By the end of April or beginning of May the flow¬ 
ers will begin to show their colors, and in order to 
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