248 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ April 1, 1986. 
Czar Peter, Grand Maitre, Leonidas, Grand Lilas, Lord Raglan, 
light blue ; L’Honneur d’Overveen, Sir Henry Havelock, Charles 
Dickens, Haydn, violet ; Ida, King of the Yellows, La Citroniere, 
Obelisk, Anna Carolina, pure yellow ; Beauty of Waltham, Clio, 
Lamplighter, Lord Palmerston, Argus, flowers with striking eyes 
or centres. 
All the vai'ieties have been obtained from seed selected from 
thousands of seedlings and by artificial crossing and impregnations, 
which is an occupation of very long duration, as a little bulb grown 
from seed requires six or seven years before it is of sufficient size 
to produce a good flower ; and when considering that this bulb if 
found worthy to be grown on requires twelve to fifteen or twenty 
years’ careful artificial propagation before a moderate stock can be 
had, it may not create astonishment when many times new varieties 
have realised large sums of money. New varieties in almost every 
shade of colour have been saved from year to year, showing im¬ 
provements in size of spike, in size of bulb, size of bells, &c. ; but 
it may be worth remarking that in all the different colours we have 
obtained improvement in size of bells with the exception of the 
bright scarlet-coloured sorts, which until now have always turned 
out with small narrow bells. If we could obtain a Hyacinth flower 
of a bright scarlet colour like Queen of the Hyacinths or Garibaldi, 
with bells as large as La Grandesse or Cloche Magnifique, what a 
splendid improvement it would be, and probably in the course of 
time we may obtain this treasure. 
Between the time when double Hyacinths were most esteemed 
and the time when single varieties came into favour, a period of 
perhaps ten years, the always increasing demand was greater than 
the general stock could furnish, and consequently the prices of 
Hyacinths grew higher every year, and it was at that time to be a 
rather profitable culture. This induced a great number of farmers 
in the neighbourhood of Haarlem to try growing Hyacinths, which 
many have done with more or less success. At that time land was 
worth only half the price that it is at present, and the most easy- 
growing Hyacinths were then artificially propagated to such a large 
extent that the stock overgrew the demand, and during the last 
three years forced the market price of such sorts down to such low 
prices, that during the last two years thousands of Hyacinths have 
been exported at prices below the actual cost of production, 
bringing great losses to the growers of this beautiful flower, while 
it overstocked the markets in several foreign countries where these 
bulbs were most used, to which poor circumstances the general 
depression in trade has of course contributed. 
Respecting the use made of Hyacinths, I may say that the 
greater portion of the bulbs are being forced, and for this purpose 
the bulbs should be potted about the middle or end of September 
in 5-inch pots in rich light soil, and placed in a cold frame or under 
a wall, where they can be covered with wooden shutters or some 
similar contrivance to keep off heavy rains. In either case they 
should be covered a foot thick with newly fallen leaves, and being 
once well watered after potting they may be left for months to 
form their roots, when the most forward should be brought out 
(some repot into somewhat larger pots according to the apparent 
strength), and the bulbs should be placed in a gentle heat as near 
the glass and light as possible to prevent the flower stems rising 
to an unnatural height. Some care is necessary in the application 
of this, or the flowers will be abortive. It should not exceed 50° 
for the first three weeks, but afterwards may be increased gradually 
to 60° ; and if the pots are plunged in bottom heat the same 
care should be observed, or the points of the roots will certainly 
be killed. One-third the depth of the pot is fully sufficient at first, 
and if the heat is brisk they should not be plunged more than a 
few inches at any time. 
When the flower stems have risen to nearly their full height, 
and the lower bells of the spike are beginning to expand, the plants 
should be removed to a lower temperature usually afforded by the 
greenhouse, and when the bells are fairly expanded the plants can 
be taken to the sitting room or wherever their presence is desired, 
observing to protect them from sudden changes or cold draughts 
of air, and the water given to them should be moderately warm. 
Instead of the usual practice of drying Hyacinths at once in the 
sun, I would rather recommend the method adopted in this country 
—namely, to place them side by side on a sunny piece of ground, 
and cover them with about an inch of loose earth to thoroughly 
ripen the bulbs by the subdued heat imparted to the earth which 
surrounds them. Left in this position for a fortnight they will 
become dry and firm, and an hour or two’s sunshine will finish 
them properly for storing. 
The propagation of Hyacinths can be artificially performed in 
two ways. (1) By the bulbs being cut crosswise and sprinkled 
with sand to absorb any superfluous moisture that may exude from 
the incisions. After a time they are planted in the earth in the 
usual way, when the mother bulb divides itself into small bulbs. 
(2) By scooping out the base of the large bulbs after they have 
been taken out in July. After this operation it requires great 
attention in watching carefully the process of properly drying the 
wounded bulbs, because not proper attending to this the whole bulb 
may become mouldy and be lost completely. The bulbs thus 
treated are planted in October, at which time the small offsets at 
the base of the bulb are partly visible already, and are then planted 
in the usual way, only with a slight covering of earth in a warm 
situation as much exposed to the heat of the sun as possible, where 
the small bulbs gradually develope in the warm sandy soil, with 
the proper degree of moisture, aided by the climate, which about 
Haarlem appears to be so very suitable to the growth and develop¬ 
ment of this flower. (3) In the natural way by offsets from the 
parent bulb, which is, however, rather slow to meet the present 
large demand. 
The Tulips used for forcing require about similar treatment as 
the Hyacinths. When placed in heat they should be placed as near 
to the glass as possible, in order to prevent the flowers drawing up 
too high, and the flower stems should occasionally be assisted when 
by their quick growth they get entangled in the foliage. During 
recent years Tulips have become great favourites for planting out 
in beds, for which thousands are annually employed, making 
by their very brilliant colours a very showy effect indeed. I 
could dwell for a considerable time upon the history of the Tulip 
and the very unusual speculation, or rather gambling, at some past 
period these have been made subject to ; but if my present paper 
has given some little pleasure, it may induce me to try another 
on these and other sorts of flower roots at some future occasion. 
I have no doubt that in several ways my present paper may be 
found wanting, but I may be allowed to remind you that as a 
foreigner I write in a language altogether strange to me. As an 
ardent admirer of horticulture in every branch, and stimulated by 
the earnest desire to do something to oblige the members of the 
Club, who may all be considered as lovers of horticulture, floricul¬ 
ture, and botany in every branch, I have ventured to write this 
short paper. 
ESTIMATES OF VEGETABLES. 
Potatoes. —This is one of the most important if not the 
most valuable of all vegetable crops, and the most extensively 
cultivated; indeed, it ranks second only to cereals in economic 
value. The great value of the Potato as a crop to the grower 
for market and to those cultivating their own vegetables is its 
admitting of two crops of useful products being taken from the 
same ground in a season, which, however, only holds good of the 
early and second early varieties, and the most eligible are those 
with short sturdy haulm, being productive of an even-sized 
saleable crop of tubers, having few small, or chats, and good in 
table quality. 
Kidney Potatoes.— Foremost as an early must be placed 
Veitch’s Improved Early Ashleaf, which is by some considered 
identical with Kentish Ashleaf, and Rivers’ Royal Ashleaf; 
but I have no experience of Kentish Ashleaf, and Rivers’ Royal 
Ashleaf I find marked by a much stronger and longer haulm, and 
the crop is fully a week or ten days in attaining a profitable or 
marketable size. This means a higher value, and l have no hesi¬ 
tation in deciding in favour of Veitch’s Ashleaf as the best early 
kidney. 11 crops heavily, the tubers are a good even size, with very 
few small, and brings a good per centage higher value from the 
salesmen through its early maturing qualities, the young tubers 
even having a cooking quality that some others do not possess 
in a matured condition. Myatt’s Prolific Ashleaf is, perhaps, 
the most extensively grown as an early crop. It crops well, but 
the crop is marked by a quantity of small tubers, which militate 
considerably against the paying qualities of the crop. Myatt’s 
is much confounded with Veitch’s, and in growth and shape of 
tuber they are similar, yet Veitch’s has a more erect and slightly 
sturdier haulm, the tubers being more regular in size, more 
bulky, and the plant is distinguished by fewer haulms per plant, 
which accounts no doubt for the improved size and enhanced 
value. Amongst other early kidney Potatoes mention ought to 
be made of the Old Ashleaf or Early Dwarftop, which though 
useful for frames and warm borders, as furnishing very early 
dishes, is of small value in comparison with others. Cosmopoli¬ 
tan is fine in form, productive, and excellent in quality. Mid¬ 
summer Kidney promises to be one of the very best first earlies, 
as the tubers are large, handsome, and good quality, combining 
great cropping with other valuable properties. 
Of second early kidney Potatoes, Covent Garden Perfection 
I found a heavy cropper, the tubers being handsome in shape and 
a size that takes well with consumers, the quality good, and 
the plant healthy, being remarkably free from disease for an 
early, and the haulm, though somewhat more profuse than the 
