In Water-Glasses

In the last week of August, or the first week of September, hyacinths, after being kept for a few days in slightly damped sand, should be placed in their water-glasses. At first the water should only just touch the base of the bulbs, and the glasses should be kept in a dark closet until the roots have attained the length of an inch. Two drops of spirit of hartshorn may be added to the water in each glass, when the bulbs are first put in, and whenever the water is changed. Dark-coloured glass is always to be preferred, as the absence of light is natural to all roots. By keeping the glasses in a dark closet until the roots are full an inch long, the hyacinths will not get top-heavy, but the roots being in advance of the leaves, will preserve the plant balanced erect. The bloom will also be finer, as the roots will be in a state to nourish the leaves before these are prematurely advanced. Dr. Lindley recommends a piece of charcoal to be put into each glass, to feed the plant, and prevent putridity in the water. - Gard. Almanac.

Forcing

Mr. Shearer directs that "In the beginning of October a few bulbs be placed in pots and glasses; the single sorts are best for early forcing, which, if required, could be flowered at Christmas; others are planted at the end of October, and another lot about the middle of November. The pots used are upright thirty-twos, about seven inches deep and four inches wide; the soil half road sand and half leaf mould, with good drainage, and the bulb is placed on coal ashes, in any open part of the garden, and covered to the depth of eight inches with old tan or leaf mould, as a rustiness or canker is produced on the young leaves and flowers if they come in contact with coal-ashes. In eight or ten weeks they will generally be found in a fit state to be removed to the green-house or cold pit; from thence the most forward are taken to a house in which the temperature is kept from 60° to 65°, and placed about eighteen inches from the glass. If any show indication of expanding their flowers before the stem is of sufficient length above the bulb, a piece of brown paper of the desired length of the stem, is wrapped around the pot, and then placed in a cucumber frame, with the temperature from 70° to 75°. In the latter end of December, or early in January, they rise six or eight inches in about ten days; if later in the season, they advance quicker.

When fully expanded, the plants are taken to a house where the temperature is 60°, and finally to the green-house. The same practice is adopted when hyacinths are grown in glasses, first placing them in a dark room to encourage the protrusion of roots, with a change of water once a week, until they are removed into the frame, or forcing-house, when a fresh supply must be given every day." - Gard. Chron.

"Hyacinths," says Dr. Lindley,"after having been forced, are three years before they recover themselves. After they have done flowering both in pots and glasses, they should be planted out in the open ground in a bed properly prepared, taking care not to injure the leaves but removing the flower stalk. When the leaves have died away, the roots may be taken up and laid by in some dry place till November, when they should be again planted in a bed in the open ground; this should be repeated the following year; and the year after that, they may be again forced, and will produce as good flowers as they did the first year they were imported." - Gard. Chron.

Diseases

The hyacinth bulbs are very liable to ulceration, occasioned usually by being treated with too much water.