May 13, 18B0. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE CAUDBNEE. 



326 



formed with expensive snblropical plants, but of common 

 flower-garden plants. When people Lave a large extent to till, 

 they are generally very desirous of adopting as many different 

 modes of arrangement, by way of giving variety and interest, 

 as their means will permit and their minds produce. Aa I 

 have already stated, the border of ornamental foliage was lillod 

 witli common plants, but it gave an agreeable variety, and had 

 a softening intluenee, distinguishing it from the other borders, 

 where more brilliant and lively colours were used. This border 

 bad a background of low shrubs, planted on a high bank, and 

 in shape was somewhat like a half moon, having its inner side 

 to the bank and shrubs, and the outer side to the grass. It 

 was composed of live colours. The back row next the shrubs 

 was of Unaphalium lauatum, kept well tied up to stakes, up- 

 wards of 2 feet high ; the next row, Perillanankinensis, which, 

 as well as the Guapbulium, bears cutting-in to prevent unsightly 

 overgrowth ; the third row strong plants of Flower of the Day 

 Pelargonium, with all the llowers regularly taken off ; then a 

 row of Beet, with its dark glossy leaves, far better than the 

 Perilla, which in hot weather will sometimes appear as if it 

 had been dusted with flour. Outside of the Beet was Golden 

 Chain Pelargonium, and all know how effective it is where it 

 grows well, and, next the grass, Cerastium tomentosum, kept 

 within neat limits. Such was the ornamental-foliage border. 



I have an impression that a Uower border may have its effect 

 enhanced or deteriorated by its surroundings — their colour, and 

 how they are placed. When a border has something close be- 

 hind it, sufficiently so to make a screen, and of a green hue, 

 it will be found that the eye rests with greater pleasure and 

 ease on a border of flowers than when you have immediately 

 beyond tbe border a gravel walk, a brick wall, stone wall, or 

 wooden palings. 



I kept two or three dozen of the plants of Beet in pots in 

 case of some of those planted in the ground proving too coarse 

 in their growth, which many of thtm will often be, and which, 

 if not removed and replaced by better-coloured plants, would, 

 to a certainty, spoil the border. — G. Dawson. 



THE CYCLAMEN. 



I coNsiDEn that the Cyclamen at fifteen months' growth 

 onght to be at least 1 foot in diameter, having a dense mass of 

 thick variegated leaves standing almost erect, and tbe flowers 

 not more than 2 or 3 inches above the foliage. The flowers 

 themselves should be broad in the petals, about 2 inches in 

 length, nearly round at the ends, and having a slight regular 

 twist in each segment of the corolla. 



I will give a description of how I proceed from the com- 

 mencement, as I generally prefer raising my own plants from 

 seed. It evidently most readily degenerates, as is the case 

 with most of the Primulaceic, and therefore some judgment is 

 necessary in cross-breeding these, but which is easy, and in 

 the majority of cases satisfactory, if the result is noted ; and 

 those not having the essential points above described are at 

 once discarded, and not kept to contaminate others. Tbe best 

 time to cross the Cyclamen is as early in March as possible, 

 but it may be done as lato as April, although I consider the 

 later it is done after the first week in Marcb, the less chance 

 you have of obtaining the wished-for result, as all flowering 

 plants are more or less fertilised by insects and other sources 

 in the spring and summer months. When the sun shines is 

 the best time to cross your Cyclamen, and it should be done 

 in the following manner : Having selected a plant as male, 

 with good-shaped flowers, take hold of the stalk between the 

 left finger and thumb, just below the flower, and with the right 

 thumb flip the side of bloom, and you will find the pollen 

 lodged on the left thumb nail. Then apply this pollen to the 

 blooms of a plant that has a good habit and stiff variegated 

 foliage, which should in all cases be indispensable in the female. 

 In performing this some care is required, as the female organs 

 are extremely delicate, and will not admit of any rough usage. 

 The pollen should be gently applied to the stigma, and it will 

 be found that at least a small portion has adhered, which is all 

 that is required. I do not think it advisable to cross C. persicum 

 with persicum rubvum, or with any other colour, except for 

 variety; but endeavour to keep them distinct, and improve 

 each kind separately. However, if you have a rubrum, for in- 

 stance, with a bloom of good shape and colour, but nothing 

 else to recommend it, make this the male, and cross it with 

 another rubrum possessing good dwarf foliage, and the result, 

 ia most instances, will be improved habit combined with a first- 



rate bloom. PerBicums Bhould be crossed in the name way, 

 but endeavour, if possible, always to have these scented. If 

 you wish persicum delicatum, you have only to cross a persi- 

 cum with persicum album, and persicum with persicum rosenm, 

 to produce another di.ftinct variety. Not more than six flowers, 

 on even a large plant, should be allowed to seed ; for if a greater 

 number be retained the seed will be small, and the plants ob- 

 tiiincd from it, in all probability, be wanting in that vigonr 

 which is at all times an important item in the raising of seed- 

 lings. 



After fertilising the best six blooms, all others should be at 

 once removed, and the plants put in a rather shady part of the 

 greenboute, but still having as much light as possible ; and no 

 place can better suit them than a shelf protected from hot 

 sun by woodwork, about 1 foot or 18 inches from the glass. 

 The seeds are ripe in about ten weeks, are sown at once, and 

 put in an old Cucumber or Melon frame, with a temperature of 

 about (ir>^ or thereabouts. lu six weeks the first leaf will be 

 seen pushing itself through the soil ; and when such are an inch 

 in length the plants may be transplanted into a pan, still re- 

 tained in the pit, and carefully shaded from hot sun with thin 

 canvas, as a glaring sun I consider at all times highly detri- 

 mental to them, but especially so when the plants are young. 



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 tbe 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 beat 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 thermometer is not 

 allowed to fall below 45". Through the winter they do not 

 grow much, but if tbe 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 retailed ir tbe 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 Been, 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, potted lightly, not pressed 

 too hard, then placed in a cool frame and kept close for a fort- 

 night or three weeks. 



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

 August, and September, invariably sprinkle water overhead 

 once in the forenoon besides the usual watering on soil ; but it 

 must be done with a watering pot having a fine rose, otherwise 

 the foliage will be bent down by the weight of water, and 

 eventually the leaves will not be erect and compact, which they 

 ought to he. 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 tbe plants are quite dry, otherwise 

 yon will have them lanky, which, as I said befare, must of all 

 things be avoided. My plants are generally taken inta the 

 conservatory in full bloom early in October, when they continue 

 to throw up flowers until the end of April, if not wished to 

 seed from. 



About Christmns a little liquid manure is weekly applied 

 with undoubted advantage, and the bloom will be much pro- 

 longed by this timely stimulus ; and should you wish the 

 Cyclamen to flower for some months, it is of the greatest import- 

 ance that all blossoms should be removed as soon as the tips 

 of the reflexed limbs become tinted with brown. As soon, then, 

 as the ends of petals become discoloured, they should be pulled 

 out by giving a sharp snatch to the bloom, so as to detach it 

 close to the corm ; for if not entirely removed, the remaining 

 portion decays, and the decomposition spreads over the whole 



