THE HYACINTH. 
I sometimes think that never blows so red 
The rose as where some buried Caesar bled; 
That every hyacinth the garden wears 
Dropt in her lap from some once lovely head. 
— Omar Khayyam. 
^¥^0^™, also called Jacinth, 
is said to be "supreme amongst 
the flowers of spring." It was 
in cultivation before 1597, and 
is therefore not a new favorite. Gerard, 
at the above date, records the existence 
of six varieties. Rea, in 1676, mentions 
several single and double varieties as 
being then in English gardens, and Jus- 
tice, in 1754, describes upwards of fifty 
single-flowered varieties, and nearly 
one hundred double-flowered ones, as a 
selection of the best from the cata- 
logues of two then celebrated Dutch 
growers. One of the Dutch sorts, called 
La Reine de Femmes, is said to have pro- 
duced from thirty-four to thirty-eight 
flowers in a spike, and on its first ap- 
pearance to have sold for fifty guilders 
a bulb. Others sold for even larger 
sums. Justice relates that he himself 
raised several very valuable double- 
flowered kinds from seeds, which many 
of the sorts he describes are noted for 
producing freely. 
It is said that the original of the cul- 
tivated hyacinth {Hyacinthus orientalis) 
is by comparison an insignificant plant, 
bearing on a spike only a few small, nar- 
row-lobed, wash, blue flowers. So great 
has been the improvement effected by 
the florists that the modern hyacinth 
would hardly be recognized as the de- 
scendant of the type above referred to, 
the spikes being long and dense, com- 
posed of a large number of flowers; the 
spikes not infrequently measure six or 
seven inches in length and from seven 
to nine inches in circumference, with 
the flowers closely set on from bottom 
to top. Of late years much improve- 
ment has been effected in the size of 
the individual flowers and the breadth 
of their recurving lobes, as well as in 
securing increased brilliancy and depth 
of color. The names of hyacinths are 
now almost legion, and of all colors, 
carmine red, dark blue, lilac-pink, blu- 
ish white, indigo-blue, silvery-pink, rose, 
yellow, snow-white, azure-blue. The 
bulbs of the hyacinths are said to be as 
near perfection as can be; and if set 
early in well-prepared soil, free from 
all hard substances, given .plenty of 
room, and mulched with leaves and 
trash, which should be removed in the 
spring, they will be even more beauti- 
ful than any description can indicate.' 
When potted for winter bloom in the 
house, good soil, drainage, and space 
must be given to them and they must 
be kept moist and cool, as well as in 
the dark while forming roots prepara- 
tory to blooming. After they are 
ready to bloom they do best in rooms 
having *a southern exposure, as they 
will need only the warmth of the sun- 
light to perfect them. The hyacinth 
does not tolerate gas and artificial heat. 
There is a pretty legend connected 
with the hyacinth. Hyacinthus was a 
mythological figure associated with the 
hyacinthia, a festival celebrated by the 
Spartans in honor of Apollo of Amyclae, 
whose primitive image, standing on a 
throne, is described by Pausanias. The 
legend is to the effect that Hyacinthus, 
a beautiful youth beloved by the god, 
was accidentally killed by him with a 
discus. From his blood sprang a dark- 
colored flower called after him hya- 
cinth, on whose petals is theword "alas." 
The myth is one of the many popular 
representations of the beautiful spring 
vegetation slain by the hot sun of sum- 
mer. The sister of Hyacinthus is Poly- 
boca, the much-nourishing fertility of 
the rich Amyclaean valley; while his 
brother is Cynortas, the rising of the 
dog (the hot) star. But with the death 
of the spring is united the idea of its 
certain resuscitation in a new year. 
The festival took place on the three 
hottest days of summer, and its rites 
were a mixture of mourning and rejoic- 
ing. C. C. M. 
191 
