256 DUPLICATION OF GENERATIVE NUCLEI BY MEANS OF 
vegetationpoint proceeds to the formation of flowers (p. 54) and , The 
period of flowerformation is not only shifted (made to commence ear- 
lier), but also shortened (accelerated)”’. 
If we now resume shortly what we know from the litterature about 
the time of harvesting and the degree of ripeness of the plants at the mo- 
ment of harvesting we arrive at surprising results. 
VAN OOSTEN advises in 1723: „One must take up the Hyacinths 
when their seed is ripe or black. Once taken up, they should be hung 
by means of a string in such a position that the roots turn upwards, and 
the leaves downwards; and after they have hung so four or five weeks, 
when the leaves will be dry, one removes the leaves and the roots and 
puts the plants upside down, because they frequently rot, on account 
of their great sliminess, when they are not thoroughly dry”. 
It follows from this citation, that as early as the beginning of the 
18th century, the bulbs were already submitted to the first phase of 
preparation” e.g. they were harvested in an unripe condition. The 
wellknown hyacinth-breeder GEORGE VOORHELM is in favor of a careful 
examination of the degree of ripeness of the bulbs, before it is decided 
to take them up. It results from his descriptions — 1762 — that, at 
that time, unripe harvesting was practised not only as an old custom 
but also to ward off the disease called , ringziek”’: , J'en déterminerai le 
tems, non par jour ni semaine, mais par les marques de maturité de 
la Plante (p. 90). , La grande règle est de lever la plante, lorsque sa fane 
perd son verd, et est en partie jaune, et en partie seche. Je voudrois bien 
qu'on fût assez circonspect pour distinguer la nature de toutes les plan- 
tes en particulier.” (p. 90). „Sion peche dans ce Pays-ci quand on lève 
les Oignons, c’est plutôt en se pressant trop qu’en agissant trop lente- 
ment.” (p. 91). 
To ward off the „ringziek”: , Quelques grands Amateurs concluent 
de-là que cette maladie ne lui vient que lorsque la maturité se fait, et 
que pour l'en garantir, il faut le lever des que les pointes de sa fane an- 
noncent que sa croissance va se ralentir”. (bl. 92—93). ‚Toutefois on la 
perfectionne, et l'expérience a appris qu’on ne garantissoit pas sa plan- 
te de la maladie qui vient quelque fois au cercle des racines, en la levant 
pendant qu'elle croît encore”; (bl. 94). Verder: „Mais lorsqu'on s'y fixe 
par choix ou par nécessité, on attend que la plus grande partie de ses 
Jacintes marque de la maturité, jusque-là on laisse tranquille sa plan- 
che; les plus ignorans connoissent ce point de maturité par le jaune des 
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