Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-08-23
Hyacinth Culture Ga Holland

Prom Chambers Journal
The bulb farms are nearly all situated on IN.
sandy fats between the cities Of Harlem ana
Leyden. The former city is the center Of the
trade. There the dealers and larger growers
have Offices and stores The soil an which the
hyacinths are grown is a light. fine sand. which
is generally dry on the surface. but immed,.
ately below moist and cooi. Il matters no,
how dry and hot the weather NAV be there il
always plenty OF moisture a few inches beneath
the surface which keeps the bulbs sweet and
healthy Should period OF wet weather set
Ia the superauous water easily psrcolates
through the fine sandy soil, and the land soon
regains its normal healthy moisture
The ground is very heavily MANFRED every
two or three years with COW manure. which Is
brought from all parts OF the country and Is a
valuable source of profit 10 the Dutch dairy
men This manure IL kept IN heaps until 4
has become thoroughly decomposcd before
being put on the ground. The farms are an
similar in appearance. rdlness and order m
the manner Of culture are almost InyarIsbl,
The fields vary from TO 20 or 70 acres in eN-
tent and are cut up INTO patches by canals aud
bitches. which intersect the whO.e farm and
cross each other at right angles The canals
are wide enough TO admit OF the Iassage OF
good-slzed boat. and consequently require TO
be bridged whenever communicated between
the plots is necessary. The 1i'Ches are
narrow enough 20 be stepped over
Water being always present IN these
cuttings the irrigation Is perfect The sur
face OF the fields IL usually about two feet above
the level OF the water. All the farms are con-
nected with the extensive canal system of Hol-
land by means Of these private canals this
arrangement email ling the farmers 20 draw
their supplies OF manure and the other neces-
saries OF their trade from AL parts of the
country and 10 send on the ripened bulbs TO
the shipping ports. The canals running through
the farms are quite green in summer with the
n nra.l A
lLemna minor. aud when a boat passes along
all the water the visitor sees Is a small tri-
angular bit at the stern. which Is soon green
again as the little plant floats back into place.
The custom in the early DAYS OF bulb grow
ing was TO plant the same ground only once IN
three years. Now. however. the Dutch dad
that hyacInths and most other bulbs DO very
well If planted on the same ground each see
OGd year. The land Is divided INTO two por-
tions. one OF which is planted with the bulbs
while the other Is dug and heavily manurcd
The latter portion u allowed 20 lac fallow or il
planted with crop. such as potatoes. suited 10
prepare the soil for the bulbs.
Every bulb, even the smallest is lifted and
planted once a year September and October
are the planting months. The bulbs are
placed in rows in large beds. each variety
being kept separate and carefully labeled
with wooden label containing its name aud
number stucF m the ground at the beginning.
The large bulbs are put in hIst. then the
smaller ones. This arrangement mars some
what the effect OF the beds at towering time.
a. strong growing bulbs are seen blooming
side by side with much weaker ones How
ever, utility, not ornament. makes the rule
and, after all, At does not matter much. az the
flowers are only permitted TO open far enough
to allow Of their beng proved true to color OF
name and then cut off. This cutting of OF the
flower spike lets the leaves develop TO their
fullest extent and helps to strengthen and en-
large the bulbs.