42 SCHOOL AND HOME GARDENS 



ready to be shifted to five-inch pots, window boxes, or 

 beds by the middle of June. They will bloom well if 

 planted in the soil used for window boxes. Give them 

 some shade from the hot sun. Let them dry gradually in 

 the fall and keep them in soil in a dry place over winter. 



THE CYCLAMEN 



The cyclamen is one of the most beautiful flowering 

 plants for either schoolroom or home windows. Many 

 colors may be obtained. It may be reproduced by means 

 of seeds or bulblike, fleshy stems known as corms. On 

 account of the length of time required to reproduce the 

 plant from seed, it is advisable to purchase corms or 

 plants that are in bloom. 



Plant one corm in a four-inch pot. The soil should 

 consist of equal parts of fibrous loam, leaf mold, and 

 sand. The corm must be firmly placed in the soil near 

 the surface. As the buds begin to swell, place the plant 

 near the windowpane and give it an abundance of 

 water. Cyclamens stand extremes of temperature but 

 will bloom best if not kept in an excessively warm 

 place. The plant may be grown a second year. After 

 blooming, remove it with the ball of earth from the pot 

 and plant in a shady corner, giving it no further atten- 

 tion until fall. It will not suffer injury if the leaves die 

 down entirely. Before active growth begins, repot the 

 plant, water it sparingly for a few days, and then give 

 it an abundance of water. 



