THE CANADIAN H0RTICUJ.TURI8T. 



283 



anything near it. It does not require 

 many plants to supply an ordinary 

 family with what they would usually 

 make use of during the season. We have 

 found it to do well at the outlet of a 

 sink drain, and also upon the sides of a 

 ditch leading from the barn yard to a 

 mowing lot. 



Its preparation for use is very sim- 

 ple, although not very agi'eeable, if 

 attempted in a warm room, in conse- 

 quence of its ai'omatic properties. The 

 roots should be dug as soon as the frost 

 will admit in the spring, or at any other 

 season if desired, (we prefer it in spring) 

 and washed and scraped clean and 

 white, and then passed over a grater 

 until the whole is reduced to a pulp, 

 which should be placed in open mouth- 

 ed bottles, and thoroughly saturated 

 with good cider vinegar. As a matter 

 of taste, we much prefer to mix with 

 it a little sugar befoi'e using. Its use 

 with meats gives a gi-atifying relish, 

 and so long as it can be procured so 

 easily every farmer's family should 

 have a full supply. — Nev) England Far- 



CYCLAMEN FOll THE WINDOW. 



Florists cannot understand why the 

 cyclamen has not been more exten- 

 sively grown for window gardening. 

 There is scarcely a plant used for this 

 purpose that can excel it in any of the 

 features so necessary for show. It has 

 a pleasant fragrance, is graceful in 

 bloom ; the colors are various and often 

 unique; the foliage is very attractive, 

 and, to crown all, it is easily grown. 

 Autumn is the proper time to sow the 

 seeds, which should be thinly scattered 

 over the surface of a pan of light, turfy, 

 peaty soil. The covering must be care- 

 fully done, and should be accomplished 

 by shaking a little light soil through a 

 fine sieve, merely sufficient to pai-tially 

 protect the seed from the air. Water 



well at first, and never thereafter allow 

 the seed to become dry; but, on the 

 other hand, do not deluge the soil so 

 as to rot the seeds. If the seeds are 

 fresh, the young plants will soon 

 make their appearance, with their little 

 roundish leaves showing a tiny bulb at 

 the base, when extra care must be exer- 

 cised neither to rot nor yet to dry them 

 up. When firmly established, prick 

 them off singly into the smallest-sized 

 pots, and shift them into larger sizes 

 as the roots require more room. Dur- 

 ing summer they must not be allowed 

 to dry entirely ; but at that season the 

 best situation is a cold frame, covered 

 with a lath shade. The ensuing win- 

 ter they will begin to bloom ; but two- 

 year-old plants give the most satisfac- 

 tion, if well grown. 



Cyclamen. 



Cyclamens do not need a strong heat, 

 nor will they thrive in a very low tem- 

 perature ; but, at the same time, ex- 

 tremes of either will not destroy the 

 plants more readily than the majority 

 of winter vegetation. All winter long 

 they continuously throw up their slen- 

 der stems, surmounted with delicate 

 white, red and variegated nodding 

 flowers, filling the surrounding air with 

 theii' pleasant fragrance, as well as de- 



