5o8 



CYCLAMEN. 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



CYCLAMEN. 



drainage is necessary to their open-air 

 culture, as they grow naturally among 

 broken rocks and stones mixed with 

 vegetable soil, grit, &c., where they are 

 not surrounded by stagnant water. Mr. 

 Atkins, of Painswick, who paid much 

 attention to their culture, thought that 

 the tuber should be buried, and not ex- 

 posed like the Persian Cyclamen in pots. 

 His chief reason was that in some species 

 the roots issue from the upper surface of 

 the tuber only. They enjoy plenty of 

 moisture at the root at all seasons, and 

 thrive best in a rich, friable, open soil, 



of-doors. As soon as they begin to 

 appear, which may be in a month or six 

 weeks, gradually remove the Moss. 

 When the first leaf is fairly developed, 

 they should be transplanted about I in. 

 apart in seed pans of rich light earth, and 

 encouraged to grow as long as possible, 

 being sheltered in a cold frame, but 

 always allowed abundance of air. When 

 the leaves have perished in the following 

 summer, the tubers may be planted out 

 or potted, according to their strength. 



There appears to Jiave always been 

 great difficulty in defining the species of 



. 



Head of Cycas revoluta. 



with plenty of well-decayed vegetable 

 matter in it. They are well suited for the 

 rock-garden, and enjoy warm nooks, 

 partial shade, and shelter from dry, 

 cutting winds. They may be grown on 

 any aspect if the conditions above men- 

 tioned be secured, but an eastern or south- 

 eastern one is best. We have seen them 

 under trees among Grass, where they 

 flowered profusely every year without 

 attention. 



They are best propagated by seed sown, 

 as soon as it is ripe, in well-drained pots 

 of light soil. Cover the soil after sowing 

 with a little Moss, to insure uniform 

 dampness, and place them in shelter out- 



Cyclamen, from the great variation in 

 shape and colour of the leaves both above 

 and below. Too much dependence on 

 these characteristics has caused confusion 

 and an undue multiplication of species. 

 Some of the varieties become so fixed, 

 and reproduce themselves so truly from 

 seed, as to be regarded as species by some 

 cultivators. The following are the more 

 important species and varieties. 



C. Atkinsi. A hybrid variety of the 

 Coum section. The flowers are larger 

 than in the type, varying in colour from 

 deep red to pure white, and are plentiful 

 in winter. 



C. Coum (Round-leaved Cyclamen). 



