October 17, 1835. J 



JOURNAL OF HOETICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENEE. 



313 



feet rafter I prow twenty with ease, taking off twenty more an 



too mueli for the Vine. Whether there is any means of forcing, 

 or whether sucli can bo easily applied ; whether the roots of 

 the trees are entirely inside tlie house, and if so, whether the 

 space would bo enough after a time for the growth of the 

 Vines and trees ; and what kind of border is used ? I hav(! 

 lieard, though I nev(^r saw it, that there was a house of this kind 

 in Kew Clardens, but that it did not answer. I might also ask 

 where one of these houses may be seen ? — Live and Lkakn. 



CYCLAMENS AND TIIEIU CULTURE. 



{Conliiitifd from jHifie 290.) 



Cyclamens are easily cultivated, thriving well in soil that 

 is free of stagnant water, and which contains a (jiiautity of 

 vegetable fibre. Soil from turves, 2 inches thick, cut from 

 places where the ground is natm-ally dry and of a light yet 

 good loamy nature, laid np for twelve mouths in an open situ- 

 ation, and turned over twice, may constitute one half of the 

 compost, and the other half may be saudy peat, such as is 

 nsed for Heaths, not the mossy, spongy, brown peat uscil for 

 Ferns and Orchids, and well reduced leaf mould in eriual parts, 

 adding one-sixth of silver sand, or in its absence clean river 

 sand, the whole being well mixed and chopped pretty hue with 

 a spade, but not sifted. This will grow all the Cyclamens well ; 

 but whether from usage or fancy, I invariably grow C. coum 

 and C. europium in e(iual parts of turfy loam, peat, and leaf 

 mould, adcUug sand if the soil appear deficient in it. 



The most suitable time for potting Cyclamens is when they 

 are on the point of commencing growth. The dates of this 

 work I find noted down as follows, taking 18.5!) as being about 

 midway between the extreme earliest and latest dates tor 

 tke past ten years : — C. repandum, February (ith ; C. euro- 

 pasum, .luly 26th ; C. neapolitanum, August 23rd ; C. vemnm, 

 August 28th ; C. Atkinsi, September 4th ; C. coum, September 

 12th ; C. ibericum, September 1st ; C. persicum, September 

 15th ; aud C. maerophyllum, africanum. robustum, latifolium, 

 or whatever else they may be called, at the same time as C. per- 

 sicum. These dates refer to the time Avhen it was considered 

 most suitable to pot, and any one acting up to them will not 

 err, though they are earlier by a fortnight than they were in 

 the following year. I think, however, that it is better to pot 

 early than not until the foliage or visible growth is made, for 

 then there is danger of pulling away lumps of soil full of 

 fibres, and this exerts an injurious effect, as the succeeding 

 bloom will show. 



The soil being in good order for potting — that is, neitlier wet 

 nor dry, or when it may be handled nicely without forming a 

 soapy mass when squeezed, the pots to be used sliould be 

 clean washed both inside .and outside. Let the pots of plants 

 be taken up and the plants turned out of them. Eemoving 

 the crocks, take away the loose soil carefully, and so as to re- 

 move aU that is not occupied with roots. Select a pot three 

 times the diameter of the bulb — this the eye will determine 

 without actual measurement — crock it to one-third its depth, 

 aud put in an inch or so of the rougher parts of the compost. 

 At one time I used to place only one crock over the hole, and 

 then half-inch bones on it to one-third of the depth of the pot, 

 mixing also a quart of bones with every six quarts of compost, 

 and the same of charcoal. This, I thought, improved the foliage, 

 the size of the flowers, and their fragrance ; but whether such 

 was the case or not I cannot positively assert, but I mention 

 the practice that others may try it. Having prepared the pot 

 in either of the ways named, fill it with compost so far that 

 when the bulb or corm is placed thereon its crown may be level 

 with the rim of the pot, and precisely in the centre. The bulb 

 being properly placed, fill roimd it with soil and ]n-ess gently 

 down at the sides of the pot, so as to fix it tolerably firm, but 

 not very tightly in the soil, and leave a space of about half an 

 inch for watering. 'Water hghtly, and stand tlie pot in coal 

 ashes in a cold frame witli the lights facing the north, for 

 though we want Ught the scorching rays of the sun are not 

 required just now. If the pots be plunged three parts down 

 in coal ashes, and their rims be from 6 to 9 inches from the 

 glass, they could not be better placed. 



From the 1st of June to the 1st of October, the lights are 

 only to be put on when heavy rains occur, and then air mjist 

 be given by tilting back and front. Coddling jdants under 

 glass for any length of time will not answer, and Ciyclamens 

 are the last to be treated in that way. They will not require 

 much water, but it should be given copiously and seldom, 



rather than in driblets and often, and this so as to keep the soil 

 healthfully nuiist for the roots to run in ; for if the soil is dry 

 growth ceases, aud if it is saturated with moisture the flowers 

 are poor and few, as tliey damp off at the surface. From October 

 1st to June 1st the lights may be kejd over the plants when 

 the air is frosty, wet, and foggy ; but when it is dry and mild, 

 aud t!ie external tem|)eraturo above 11)', they should be drawn 

 down ; yet cold cutting winds must be guarded .-igainst by 

 leaving the lights on, tilting tliem at the opposite point from 

 which the wind blows. When the air is cold, but not frosty, 

 a little air will bo of service ; but when frost prevails the frame 

 should be shut close, and protection of some kind, as mats, 

 straw, or littei-, jilaced over the glass to keep out frost, the 

 sides of thi^ frame being banked up with ashes, or what is 

 better, dry litter. When the weather becomes mild remove the 

 covering, but do not expose the jilants to light until quite sure 

 that they are completely thawed ; it will, however, be better if 

 they are not frozen. During tlie winter the frame should face 

 the south. 



" But 1 have a greenhouse," some one says, " and I can do 

 without nil the bother of covering up, &c." That is all very 

 good ; but many have not the means to run up a greenhouse, 

 and yet are fond of llowers in winter. Cyclamens, however, can 

 be bloomed in a sunny window, .the plants being gi'own in a cold 

 frame as described, and when they commence flowering it 

 is easy to remove any plant to the sitting-room, where they 

 will bloom finely for weeks, care being taken to keep the 

 soil moist, and the plants in the lightest situation. Those who 

 have greenhouses will find it an easy matter to remove the 

 plants as they come into Idoom from the frame to the shelves, 

 or any other light airy position in such structures. One gi'eat 

 advantage of growing these plants in pots is their portability, 

 aud another of some importance is that one-half of the plants 

 can be taken into the greenhouse a fortnight before the 

 others, and this gives an earlier bloom and a longer continn- 

 anee of it. The plants should not be removed from the frame to 

 the gi-eenhouse luitil the flower-buds show themselves. In the 

 greenhouse they ought to be placed as near the glass and points 

 at which air is admitted as possible, so as to have the advantage 

 of both light and air. Water is to be given copiously when the soil 

 shows that it is required, and slightly sprinkling the leaves with 

 water at the same temperature as the house will be of benefit 

 in freeing them of dust ; but it must be done only on bright 

 mornings, air being given immediately .afterw'ards, or the leaves 

 and flower-buds will damp off. A free circulation of air, all 

 the light practicable, with a temperature of from 40° to io" 

 from tire heat, are the essentials of Cyclamen culture in 

 heated structures ; close, warm, dark situations are their de- 

 struction. 



^Vhen the plants show signs of the foliage decaying water 

 should be gradually withheld, discontinuing it altogether in 

 about a fortnight ; the pots may then be plunged to the rim in 

 an open but not sunny part of the garden. It is, however, a 

 much better plan to plunge them to tlie rim in coal ashes in a 

 cold frame, where they can be protected from heavy rains, but 

 at other times enjoy gentle showers and pure air. Keeping the 

 roots dry for a period of three months or more is injurious, 

 and brings on that sicldy condition which is never prolific of 

 bloom. 



Cyclamen persicum is decidedly a half-hardy plant, but is 

 best grown in a frame in autumn, until November, when the 

 plants may be removed to a greenhouse, and kept there until 

 the foliage decays. They may then be placed outside, for the 

 extreme drying process is very pernicious to their well-doing. 



Although it may be desirable to grow a number of specimen 

 plants in pots for the decoration of gi-eenhouses, conservatories, 

 drawing-rooms, &c., on account of their being so handy, yet in 

 this way they are not half so effective as when grown in masses. 

 They are, indeed, magnificent when grown in pans, from 1 foot 

 to 1 foot 6 inches in ihameter, and G inches deep. These 

 should be drained perfectly, and filled with soil to within an 

 inch or so of the rim, rounding it slightly in the centre, but 

 not more than an inch or two. Place the strougest bulbs in the 

 centre at double their diameters apart, and jireserve the same 

 distance from the sides of the pan. Put soil round the bulbs 

 so as to cover them about half their depth, and then bring to 

 a level with the cro^vn with cocoa refuse, aud let it be old or 

 nearly reduced to mould. In default of this its place may be 

 supplied with some of the comi)ost passed through a half-inch 

 ridille. Grown in this way the smaller kinds, as C. Atkinsi, 

 vernuni, ibericum, and coum, so very interesting when in 

 pots, foim truly splendid masses ; such usually produce from 



