The following varieties are to be preferred for early forcing to numerous others that force indifferently: Homerus, single pink; La Preciosa, single white; Grand Vainqueur, single rose pink; Regulus, lavender single; Charles Dickens, porcelain-blue, single; Queen of the Netherlands, white single; Amie de Caeur, single brisk rose pink; Lord Wellington, soft pink-tinged rose single; Argus, single purple, with a large porcelain white centre; Diebitsch Sabalskansky, lively pink ; Grandeur a Merveille, single French white; Baron Van Tuyll, single blue; Madame Hodson, light pink; and the Roman, single white, which ought to be planted by the dozen to afford early effect. Pot the white Roman in threes in a pot. Culture for late blooming and exhibition: - It is generally necessary to retard the growth of these bulbs instead of accelerating it; so to accomplish this, better let October be well advanced before taking the roots out of the packing; store them away in a dry, airy, cool place, until then, looking them over occasionally to see that they are keeping sound; but do not delay to plant any that show signs of starting into growth.

The compost to be preferred for late flowers ought to be heavier and richer - two parts firm fresh loam; one part sheep or cow manure, thoroughly decomposed and moderately dry; one part equal portions leaf mould and clean sharp river-sand. Mix these ingredients thoroughly; use clean pots 7 inches wide; if new, steep in water twenty-four hours before using. New pots, without the precaution of steeping, discharge a poisonous element into the soil that is certain death to the roots as soon as they reach it. Cover the drainage with moss, or rotten turf-fibre; allow the bulb to be well sunk into the compost and pot rather firmly than otherwise.

When all are potted have them arranged compactly on a hard bottom, and cover 6 inches deep with coal-ashes, leaf-mould, or other light material. Allow them to remain thus for some weeks, until the pots are filled with roots, and their crowns started, when they ought to be lifted and put into a cold frame without plunging deeper than the rims of their pots, but shading at first, then gradually exposing them to the full light and sun; ventilate freely in open sunny weather, but protect in sharp frost by means of mats. In short, they should be secured from the action of extreme frost; but, at the same time, have the light intercepted by any covering as seldom as possible.

Throughout the winter and spring afford water as is consistent with maintaining vigorous growth, neither keeping them continuously saturated, nor permitting the soil to get extremely dry. Should the appearance of the plants, as the show-time approaches, indicate their being too far advanced in flower, remove the sashes in the daytime, weather permitting, and only protect the flowers by a canopy of hexagon net or screen. Should the reverse be the case - namely, the flowers too late - the frames must be kept closer; or else, which is preferable, the plants put into a greenhouse near to the glass, where all the necessary requirements, such as tying, stacking, and dressing can be performed without exposing them to the wind.

As the flowers approach opening it is well to supply the roots with weak liquid manure as a stimulant to growth, which acts at once with good effect upon the pips, expanding them to greater dimensions, as well as displaying in them higher colours than if only fed by water.

Dressing The Flower-Spikes

Whether for exhibition purposes or not the appearance of some hyacinths may be very much, improved by having their pips thinned and arranged neatly. The doubles are mostly improved by this, as in many instances their pips are so heavy that they hang slovenly, showing their outline to disadvantage. In proceeding to arrange a spike, the wire support or stake ought to be brought neatly up amongst the pips without disarranging any of them. The top of the wire should only reach the upper extremity of the footstalk of the topmost pip. When it is placed erect the pip is tied in this position, and the main stem is also tied securely to the wire support; then the set of pips immediately below the crowning one is raised up and secured in position by means of the crowning pip overlapping their margins; the next series of pips are in their turn raised, so that the one above them overlaps them and supports them in position, and so on; one series of pips is made to support that below it, until all are secured, making a symmetrical whole when completed.

Another mode of securing the uppermost series of pips in position is to insert pieces of fine steel wire into the centre of each, flower, securing the wire in the main stem, then hanging all the lower flowers to one another.

List Of Exhibition Sorts

Double Blues

Laurens Koster, Indigo, Lord Wellington, porcelain shades; Van Speyk, pale blue.

Doubles Of The Redsto Crimson Shades

Koh-y-Noor, rich pink; Lord Wellington, delicate blush; Susanna Maria, salmon rose; La Tour d'Auvergne, double pure white.

Single Blues Of Various Shades

Argus, bright blue, white eye; Auriculus Oog, purple violet, white eye; Baron Van Tuyll, dark; Charles Dickens, delicate pale blue; General Havelock, dark purple; Grand Lilas, azure blue; Haydn, mauve; King of the Blues, deep blue; Lord Melville, deep blue; Marie, deep purplish-blue, striped indigo; Prince Albert, black, with a glow of purple.

Single Red, Rose And Crimson

Cosmos, rose pink; Emmeliue, delicate pink; Garibaldi, rich red, immense spike; Lina, rich crimson; Macaulay, deep rose, striped crimson; Mrs Beecher Stowe, dark rose pink; Norma, waxy pink, immense pips; Prima Donna, shining rose; Princess Clotilde, pink, striped carmine; Rouge Pyramide, rich red; Solfaterre, beautiful orange scarlet; Von Schiller, salmon pink.

Single White And Blush

Alba Maxima, pure white; Baron Van Tuyll, pure white; Grandeur a Merveille, delicate blush; Mont Blanc, pure white; Sera-phine, blush snow-ball, pure white, without dispute the most perfect pip, and massive above all others.

Single Yellow

Due de Malakoff, straw striped; Rose and Ida, primrose yellow, the finest of this section. A. Kerr.