/UNI.] FLOWER-GARDEISf. 409 



and it will be well to plant them either in or before the last week 

 of July or the first in August. By planting them at this time, they 

 v/ill blow stronger than if kept too long out of the ground. All 

 these sorts in their flowering state, are generally unattended with 

 leaves, which spring up after tke flowers fade. 



It is not absolutely necessary to take up these bulbs every year, 

 once in two or three years will do ; but then it must be done, in 

 order to separate the offsets for increase, and to plant the strong 

 roots in fresh earth, which will cause them to shoot and flower 

 much more luxuriantly. 



Cyclamens. 



There are five different species of Cyclamen described, viz. 

 the Cyclamen Coum, europxum, persicum, hederxfolium, and indi- 

 cum ; the first a native of the south of Europe, the second of Au- 

 stria, the third of Persia, the fourth of Italy, and the fifth of Ceylon ; 

 with several varieties arising from these species. They are all too 

 tender to bear the winter frosts of the middle and eastern states, 

 and consequently must be treated as green-house plants ; where 

 they should be kept in the front windows, to have the benefit of as 

 much light and air as possible. The leaves being generally de- 

 cayed about this time, the roots may be taken up and replanted im- 

 mediately into a composition of, one half good loamy earth, one 

 fourth sand, and one fourth light moory earth, or earth of rotten 

 leaves, all being well incorporated together. They do not require 

 to be taken up oftener than every second or third year, and then " 

 only, to give them fresh earth, as they never increase by offsets, 

 and are only propagated by seed, or by cutting the roots through 

 across the crowns, which latter method is, generally, very unsuc- 

 cessful. 



The first and second sorts flower in January and February, the 

 third in March and April, and the others in September and October, 

 they continue a long time in bloom, and display flowers of a curious 

 structure and delicately beautiful. The pots containing these roots 

 must be ke^tf during the summer months, where they will not be 

 mueh exposed to the sun, and in that time should have but little 

 water, as their roots are, generally, then in an inactive state, and 

 would soon rot by too much moisture. 



All the sorts may be propagated by seed, which should be sown 

 soon after being ripe, or early in spring, and covered near half an 

 inch deep, they must always be protected from frost and also from 

 the summer sun ; the September following, you are to lay over the 

 roots, not covering the leaves, half an inch or better of good loose 

 sandy earth, and during the following winter arid ensuing summer, 

 protect them as before. Any time in the summer of 'the second 

 or third year, that the leaves are decayed, take up the roots, and 

 replant them in pots of fresh earth, covering them one inch deep ; 

 here they remain till they flower, which will generally be in the 

 fourth and fifth years after sowing, but sometimes, when taken good 

 care of, and treated with a suitable composition} some of the kinds 

 will flower early in the third year from seed 



3 G 



