1869.] THE CYCLAMEN. 185 



Towards the end of September I select a few of the strongest plants 

 and put them in small pots, still retaining all in the frames close to 

 the glass until the end of October, or even much later, according to 

 the mildness of the season, as I find the young plants do better kept 

 close in an old Melon frame, where a little heat still remains in the 

 fermenting material. As soon as frost or cold weather sets in, all the 

 Cyclamens are placed on a shelf in the conservatory where the ther- 

 mometer is not allowed to fall below 45°. Through the winter they 

 do not grow much, but if the above temperature is maintained, they 

 will be found to have increased a little, which is all that is desirable. 

 Those plants potted in autumn will require a shift into a size larger 

 pot in April ; those in the pans should be potted, and either retained 

 in the conservatory, or, what is better, put in a frame with a little 

 bottom-heat for a month or six weeks ; then about the end of May put 

 out in a cold frame facing south-east, kept close for a few days, but 

 eventually fully exposed during the daytime. 



When the plants are in this cool frame they should never be too 

 much crowded, but allowed some few inches between the leaves, so that 

 air may freely circulate, and prevent that drawn appearance which 

 must at all times be carefully guarded against. The system I am 

 advocating, it will readily be seen, is never to allow a Cyclamen entire 

 rest, but always keep them growing, however slowly, and not, as is the 

 custom with all growers I know, to let them partially die during the 

 summer months ; and this, I believe, is the entire cause of that neglect 

 which the Cyclamen has latterly most undeservedly shared with some 

 other good old favourites. 



In the management of old plants, if retained, I should adopt much 

 the same system as with the young ones, except that they are not in 

 spring introduced to a frame with bottom-heat, but partially shaken 

 out of their soil, iiotted ligldly, not pressed too hard, then placed in a 

 cool frame and kept close for a fortnight or three weeks. 



If the weather is hot during the months of June, July, August, and 

 September, invariably sprinkle water over-head once in the forenoon 

 besides the usual watering on soil ; but it must be done with a water- 

 ing-pot having a very fine rose, otherwise the foliage will be bent 

 down by the weight of water, and eventually the leaves wiU not be 

 erect and compact, which they ought to be. Another caution I must 

 also give in reference to watering over the foliage, and that is, never 

 to close up the lights for the night until the plants are quite dry, 

 otherwise you will have them lanky, which, as I said before, must of 

 all things be avoided. My plants are generally taken into the con- 

 servatory in full bloom early in October, when they continue to throw 

 up flowers until the end of April, if not wished to seed from. 



