CYCLAMEN 



CYCLAMEN 



425 



Hildebrand, Die Gattung 



Cyclamen, Jena, 



L. H. B. 

 id would be much 

 ■ riistfi-ii climate. 

 i-..l.al.ly would be 

 Jii>(liH-iii^' a great 

 <-lepth of 



suit Fr. 

 1898. 



All Cyclamens are very beautiful, and 

 more popular w^ere they hardy in our 

 On the Pacific slope many of tlimi pr. 

 perfectly at home as outdoor phiiii>. pi 

 number of flowers above the bare soil 

 winter before the leaves are developeil. It is, however, 

 with the Persian Cyclamen, which is tender, that florists 

 have had the greatest success. There is no common 

 winter-Hovvering subject of as much value for duration 

 in bluorii, variety of coloring, or wi-altli of color. 



It is prefi-rahle at all times to begin the culture of 

 Persian Cyclamen with sciils. sown in the early winter 

 months. Grow on witliout any clu-.k for tin r.')ll..wiiig 



year. They should bl ii fivilv about liftnn nioutlis 



from planting. ()Id tubers, sucl'i as are otilVn-d in fall 

 with other florists' bulbs, rarely give any satisfaction as 

 compared with a packet of seeds. It is not the nature 

 of the plant to have all its roots dried off, as if it were 

 a Hyaciulli .u- Tulip, Our summers are rath.-r to.i warm 

 to suit Cyi-himiu i.iTt'rclh , and it will be (ouihI Ihat the 

 most gniwlh is iiiade in tin- early antainli. It is l.est to 

 give them a little shade iu the hot months, such as a 

 frame outdoors near the shade of overhanging trees at 

 midday. This is betterthan growing them under painted 

 glass, as more light is available, together with plenty of 

 fresh air on hot days. It will be found that Cyclamen 

 seeds require a long time in which to gerniiiiatc — often 

 two months. This is due to the fact that : 

 duces a bulb or corm before leaf growth i^ 

 soon as two leaves are well developed, pbi 

 around the edge of 4- or 5-ineh pot- nniil 

 large enough for a 3-incli pot. The r.icits i 

 sparingly iu the initial stages, and too lui 

 would be fatal at the start. By the iiiiddb 

 another shift may be given, and iu Scpti-i 

 be ready for the jiots iu which they are to flower, — .5- or 



6-inch pots, ai -diug to the vigor of the plants. It 



will always be found, however, that there will be a cer- 

 tain percentage that will not grow, no matter how much 

 persuasion is used. These may be thrown away to save 

 time and labor early in the season. The Giganteum 



be seed pro- 



visible. As 

 •e the plants 

 eviry one is 

 re produced 

 eh pot room 



of summer 

 liber all will 



Specimen grown i 



evoluta. 



I partial shade. 



strains produce the largest blooms, but at the expense 

 of quantity. For the average cultivator it is better to 

 try a good strain that is not gigantic. There is a recent 

 departure in the form of crested flowers. Cyclamens 

 come true to color from seeds, and one can now buy 



named varieties that will reproduce themselves almost 

 to a certainty. 



Of recent years c.iltivators have had much trouble 

 with a tiny insect or mite that attacks the plants and 

 renders them useless for bloom. Its work is done mostly 



634. Leaf of 



Cycas revol 



after the plants are taken 

 iuto the greenhouse and 

 when about to mature into 

 blooming specimens. If 

 the first flowers come deformed, oi 

 abnormally streaked with colo: 

 that are darker in shade, it is 

 sure indication that the pest is 

 present. No other treatment can 

 be recommended but to destroy 

 the infected plants and keep the 

 stock clean, for the pest has not yet been 

 studied carefully. 



Cult, by E. O. OUPET. 



Cyclamens should be removed to the 

 greenhouse about the end of September, 

 or bi'f.ue any .laiiger of frost. In the 



bouM- tliey si 1,1 always have the lightest 



beiK'h, li is inipessible to grow them iu a 

 warm, .sha.ly house. Aliout 50° at night is the 

 ideal temperature when in flower. The soil 

 best suited to them is a fresh, tufty loam, 

 with a fourth or fifth of well rotted horse - 

 manure, to which add some clean sand if the 

 soil is heavy. At all times, the pots should be 

 well drained. Greenfly is sure to attack the 

 plants at all str.ges of" their growth. In the 

 frames the plants can be plunged in tobacco 

 stems, and in the greenhouse they must be fumigated 

 or, what is better still, vaporized with some of the 

 nicotine extracts. William Scott. 



A. Fall-hlooming species. 



Africanum, Boiss. & Rent. The largest of Cyclamens: 

 tubers often as large as a turnip (4-10 in. across) : Ivs. 

 ovate-cordate, coarsely toothed, pale beneath, dull and 

 pale green marbled above: calyx pubescent, the lobes 

 broadly ovate acnininate: corolla nearly white, faintly 

 rose- or pur|.le-iin^e,l. the segments 1 in. long and deep 

 purple at the liase. .\lg,.ria. B.M. 5758. F.S. 8:841.- 

 Little known lu tins country, but sold by the American 

 agencies of the Dutch bulb houses. The same remark 

 will apply to most other species, except C. latifotium. 

 Perhaps a form of the next. 



Neapolitanum, Ten. Tuber very large, black, thick- 

 rinded: Ivs. variable, from hastate to round-reniform, 

 more or less wavy-plaited on the edges, green or some- 

 what parti-colored: calyx small: corolla junk or rarely 

 white, the segments short and twisted and the edges 

 raised and white-edged at the base. S. Eu. B.R. 24:49. 

 Gn. 51, p. 37. R.H. 1855: 21. as C. hederafuUum. 



Europaeum, Linn. {C. Clftsii, Liudl.). Lvs. ovate-or- 

 bicular, entire or nearly so, with a deep and narrow 

 basal sinus, more or less white-marbled above, purple- 

 tinted beneath : fls. on scapes 4-5 in. high, bright red and 

 very fragrant, the corolla-segments oblong-spatulate 

 (Min. or less long) ; calyx glabrous. Central and S. Eu. 

 B.R. 12:1013. — Lvs. appearing with the fls. Variable. 



Cilicicum, Roiss. & Heldr. Much like C. -Eurnpwum: 

 fls. white, with purple at the mouth, about twice larger; 

 calyx puberulent. Sicily G.C. III. 23: 81. 



