Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1886-09-25
THE HYACISTH.
a Iseaa,sfai spring Fiowsr-Faii the Proper
Time "a Plant Butbs How 10 Orow
These Flowers Successfully.

For the iNrHLLtaKscEn.
The Dutch OF IIoiiatld give to tho hyacintb,
the name which we credit the rose, the queen
of the flowers Aud well thoy can, for, whnt
plants are 10 we'll adapted to their soil and
climate ~ bulbous plants oi which the hya-
cinth most undoubtedly roIgns supreme.
II has beon known by the name Hydcin-
thus from the time Of Homer, or even earlier.
/ As the fable reads, Hyacinthus WAS beauti.
ful boy, and while pitching quoits with
Apollo, was accidentally killed, the jealous
zopbyrs blowing QUOT pitched by Apollo
upon him. Apollo, wishing TO show his love
for his playmate, changed his body into the
flower which bears hts name. The sentiment
tai mind therefore, makes plain the language
Il Of the byacinth.
| IL was introduced into England in 1896, and
in l629 II contested Of eight varieties. From
that time II has made rapid and marked I'M
wards&pf four thousand named varie.
ties being customary with some
| Of eading Holland firms to send
out ~ hale catalogues with five hundred
named varieties accurately described. At and
In the vicinity OF Harlem, Holland, the
finest hyacinth bulbs in the world are grown,
ss the finest tulips crocuses, narcissus, etc.
| As have said before, their soil is especially
and peculiarly adapted TO their successful
cultivation. The Dutch are all fiower-loving
line plant than the Englishman or Ameri-
can. Dutch average florists have been known
to sell all they possessed, so to be able TO pur-
chase a rare tulip bulb. The French speak
Of them as HoTtmdniacs.
Prof J. G. Loudon in his "Encyclopedia
OF Gardening" gives US q curious TACT, In re-
| gard to the hyacinth flowers. lie says:
"After the bulbs have lowered, the flower.
Il stalks are cut oil, to make the leaves grow
stronger, and laid in place where they can
do no injury because, ii they were lett to
decay upon the hyacinth beds, they would
/ cause all the bulbs 10 rot They cannot even
be used as manure for trees, etc, because, IL
| they are not poisonous, they at least always
contain q corrosive property, and to such
| degree, that In the month of October the
lsborers, after working five or six hours
among them, become red and fiery all over,
and are in great pain until this labor termi-
mates. The pain even prevents sleep"
The Dutch government offers large pre-
miums TO the American florists who force the
hyacinth into bloom most successfully. OF
course the only parties who eau be successful
are those who purchase the Holland bulb.
So you see, even the Dutch have axes for
US to grind, but while We are laboring with
tho crank that turns tho stone, giving
an edge to their AK, We will not
suffer as the obliging school boy, and
We will be made all the happier
for forcing into flower the bulbs that have
been grown by the owners ot the ak. For
what Hover gives TO our homes such a
months as the hyacinth? Gently reminding
us that spring is coming, and with 1t many
of their kindred friends, such ~ the crocus,
with their bright smiling faces the snowdrop,
as the true emblem Of hope, dressed i'll white
aud hanging her head so modestly; the mar
cissus and yellow datfodil with his pipe,
which, by the way, he never lights and next
the belle OF the season, the tulip (not "two-
lIps,") her gay colors much resembling the
turban OF the wealthy Mahomedsn, from
whence 1t gets its name the elegance OF form
and the beauty of its colors Frightening the
landscapes, while few hyacinths will scent
the surrounding atmosphere with the frag-
rance, which in the tulip il found wanting
WHEN TO PLAST THEM.
1t may seem little ahead of time to use as
subject spring ilower and no doubt many
will say "Oh bother the flowers that
bloom in the spring." rs this Is the fall; but
we must remember that we SOW wheat in
the autumn, and reap the harvest the follow
ing summer. Those who do not plant spring
blooming bulb in the fall, must not expect to
have spring flowers, while their more far
sighted neighbors will be enjoying the re-
suits of their labor Therefore, few facts on
the culture of the hyacinth, rs the most beau.
tiiul OF spring flowers, will not be out Of
season.
In tho open ground the bulb of this plant
should be planted in October, or even No
vember, and the early part of December
would do, providing the ground IL not frozen.
The Holland hyacinth bulb, as offered for
sale in this country, are from three to five
years old. So you see, 1t takes some time to
grow fine bulbs.
1t delights in cool aud light sandy soil
in most places this has to be especially pre-
pared with two parts well decomposed cow
manure, or deCayed vegetable manure, such
as leaf mould, four parts good garden soil,
aud one part sand, river sand preferable
With the above soil thoroughly worked to
the depth of at least one loot, the best results
will be reached. They will, however, grow
aud bloOm well IN any ordinary garden soil
Some peat and sand dug into the beds that
have not been otherwise prepared, Will cause
the bulb to produce larger-sized flowers with
brighter coloTs. After preparing the beds as
above, select dry day for planting place
the bulbs about eight or ten inches apart and
plant them about four inches deep to the
crown oil the bulb. After the ground has
slightly frozen, cover the beds with few
leaves or rubbish of some kind to protect
from very severe freezing.
The forcing of the hyaclnth is a great plea
sure to flower lovers; II is successfully &C
complished both in water and earth in pots
The neatest manner tor ladies is 10 grow
them in hyacinth glasses, filled with water,
as they can be placed when in bloom on
the dining table, or in the parlor,
,centing the air ali thro ugh the house. Get
only the largest aud most perfect bulb, place
them in the glass, and fill with water, so that
lie base of the bulb IL about one-eighlh of an
nch from tho water. A small piece of char
away in dark, cool closets, where the water
will not freeze, for about eight weeks, when
bring to the light gradually. When the
sprout at the top OF the bulb has changed
from the yellow 10 dark green, put
10 sunny window, when in the
course OF a few weeks you will see the
Hover buds. Change the water every three
weeks when in tho cellar, and twice a week
when in the warm room.
For growing in pots use rich garden loan
and sand and five inch pot Tor each bulb !;
place some pots-herd (broken pots) in the
bottom TO insure good drainage, and plant
the bulb so that the crown is Just even with
the earth, and put away in a dark cool cellar,
not cold enough to freeze, give them a
thorough watering, aud whenever they are
dry give them more water. After eight
weeks treat them the same as those in glasses.
There are many different ways of growing
and forcing hyacinth bulbs successfully, but
| these are the simplest and among the best.
| GUIDE FOR CHYSANrHEMUM GROWERS.
Being something of an enthusiast on the
| chrysanthemums, | can not close without re-
| minding the readers of the coming chrysan-
| themum exhibition.
| BY this time, most, if not all, chrysanthe-
mum MANS, will be showing their flower
buds, and by exami::sta23Ta Men you will lind,
that there IL quite number to>t.n q. s,' "eii'
| To produce larger and more perfect flowers,
| almost two-thlrds of the flower buds should
| be plnched oil as soon as they appear. Be-