416 The Cultivation of the Cyclamen. 



start the next season, and the others will follow them in 

 succession. 



CULTURE AS A WINDOW PLANT. 



There is scarcely any class of plants better adopted for a 

 window, than the cyclamens. Of small size, neat habit, 

 and easy management, and bearing beautiful blossoms in 

 profusion, which, in properly selected varieties, are deliciously 

 fragrant, there seems to be no quality wanting to render them 

 just what window plants should be. 



The odoriferous varieties of Cyclamen persiciim are those 

 which should be chosen for domestic culture ; and the process 

 of cultivation is nearly the same in this case as in the green- 

 house. They require an airy situation, and a carefully lim- 

 ited supply of water ; that is to say, they are by no means 

 what may be called thirsty plants, although, on the other 

 hand, the soil mast not be suffered to become very dry. 

 The plants do not suffer from exposure to the sun. As the 

 plants may be liable to sustain some rough treatment, espe- 

 cially as to watering, it is, in this case, very important to pay 

 attention to the manner of potting the tubers ; they must not 

 be entirely buried in the soil, as is the case in planting many 

 bulbous roots, but should be left about half exposed, the 

 lower half only being placed in the soil. That soil should 

 consist of loam, peat and leaf mould, in about equal propor- 

 tions, to which compost enough silver sand should be added 

 to prevent anything like adhesion amongst its particles. The 

 pots must be very carefully drained, with a layer of potsherds, 

 charcoal, or some such material, occupying about one fourth 

 of the depth of the pot : which latter ought to be large 

 enough to allow an inch of clear space all round the tuber, 

 between it and the pot. 



Young plants may be raised as well in the window as in 

 the greenhouse, and by precisely the same process. The 

 tubers are not to be suffered to dry off completely, as some 

 recommend, but should be kept plump throughout their ex- 

 istence ; although at that period, when they are not in active 

 growth, they ought to be kept much drier than when making 



