HYACINTH

The hyacinths, with their heavy trusses of close-set stars, are Popular winter house plants. While single bulbs of the larger exhibition varieties are grown in hyacinth glasses containing nothing but water, the types generally used for growing in pots are the Dutch and French Roman. They are smaller than exhibition hyacinths, yet are prompt and luxuriant flower producers. Plant the bulbs as early in the fall as you can get them-10 to an 8-inch pan-and allow eight to ten weeks for rooting. The bulbs should have their noses just showing above the surface of the soil. Fill several pans and bring them into the house at two-week intervals; they will supply you with fragrant flowers over a long period.

French Roman hyacinths are also widely used for pot culture. The flowers are daintier and usually several blooming spikes are thrown up by each bulb instead of a single spike. Then, too, they flower much earlier than do the Dutch Roman. By using a pot or two of each type, you may have hyacinth bloom from November until March. French Romans require about two weeks less time to form roots than do the Dutch hyacinths. The latter type is sold under named varieties while the available French Roman hyacinths are mostly all white. Good Dutch Roman varieties for potting are:

L'Innocence		pure white.
Grandeur a Merveille		bluish-white.
Yellow Hammer		light yellow.
City of Haarlem		deep yellow.
Gertrude		pink.
La Victoire		bright red.
Queen of the Blues		light blue.
King of the Blues		dark blue.