CYCLAMEN. 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



CYCLAMEN. 



509 



This, like the others of the same section, 

 is perfectly hardy, and frequently in bloom 

 in the open ground before the Snowdrop ; 

 yet, to preserve the flowers from unfavour- 

 able weather, the plants will be better for 

 slight protection, or a pit or frame in 

 which to plant them out. Grown in this 

 way during the early spring, from January 

 to the middle of March, they are one 

 sheet of bloom. When so cultivated, take 

 out the soil, say i^ to 2 ft. deep, place at 

 the bottom a layer of rough stones 9 to 12 

 in. deep, and cover them with inverted 

 turf to keep the soil from washing down 

 and injuring the drainage ; then fill up 

 with soil composed of about one-third of 

 good free loam, one-third of well-decayed 

 leaf-mould, and one-third of thoroughly 

 decomposed cow manure. Plant i^ to 2 

 in. deep ; and, every year, soon after the 

 leaves die down, take off the surface as 

 far as the tops of the tubers, and fresh 

 surface them with the same compost, or 

 in alternate years give them only a surface 



.Cyclamen Coum. 



dressing of well-decayed leaves or cow 

 manure. During summer, or indeed after 

 April, the glass should be removed, and , 

 they ought to be slightly shaded with ! 

 Larch Fir boughs (cut before the leaves I 

 expand) laid over them, to shelter from I 

 the extreme heat of the sun. As soon 

 as they begin to appear in the autumn, 

 gradually take these off. Do not use the 

 glass until severe weather sets in at all | 

 times, both day and night, admitting air 

 at back and front and in fine weather I 

 draw the lights off, remembering that the j 

 plants are hardy, and are soon injured if ' 

 kept too close. They do not like frequent 

 removal. There is a pretty white variety 

 of C. Coum. Syn. C. hyemale. 



C. cyprium. This well-defined species 

 has rather small heart-shaped leaves of 

 dark green, marbled on the upper surface 

 with bluish gray and of a deep purple 

 beneath. The flowers, which are pure 

 white, tinted with soft lilac (the restricted 

 mouth being spotted with carmine-purple) 

 are well elevated above the foliage. This 

 distinguishes it from most of its allies 

 except C. persicum, and its foliage distin- 



guishes it from that at a glance. It is one 

 of the most chaste and beautiful of the 

 hardy kinds. Cyprus and other places in 

 South Europe. It is found on shaded 

 rocks in mountainous districts. Syn. C. 

 neapolitanum. 



C. europaeum (European Cyclamen}. 

 The leaves of this species appear before 

 and with the flowers, and remain during 

 the greater part of the year. Flowers 

 from June to November, or, with slight 

 protection, until the end of the year. 

 The flowers are a reddish purple. Some 

 of the southern varieties, by attention to 

 cultivation under glass, may even assume 

 a perpetual flowering character. C. Clusi, 

 littorale, and Peakeanum are varieties of 

 this section. The flowers are much 

 longer, and of a more delicate colour, 

 often approaching peach colour, and are 

 almost the size of those of C. persicum ; 

 pure white are rare, but pale ones are not 

 uncommon : they are very fragrant. C. 

 europaeum thrives freely in various parts 

 of the country in light, loamy, well- 

 drained soil, as a choice border and rock- 

 garden plant. Where it does badly in 

 ordinary soil it should be tried in a deep 

 bed of light loam, mingled with pieces 

 of broken stone. In all cases it is best to 

 cover the ground with Cocoa fibre. It is 

 very desirable on account of its fragrance 

 and long succession of flowers. It 

 luxuriates in the debris of old walls and 

 on the mountain side, with a very sparing 

 quantity of vegetable earth to grow in. 

 The bulb varies considerably in size and* 

 shape ; sometimes it is elongated and 

 irregular, and the plant is then the C. 

 anemonoides of old authors. Syn. C. 

 odoratum, C. asstivum. 



C. hederaefolium (Ivy-leaved Cycla- 

 men]. Switzerland, South Europe, and 

 the north coast of Africa. Tuber not 

 (infrequently i ft. in diameter, and 

 covered with a brownish rough rind 

 which cracks irregularly so as to form' 

 little scales. The root-fibres emerge from 

 the whole of the upper surface of the 

 tuber, but principally from the rim ; few 

 or none issue from the lower surface. The 

 leaves and flowers generally spring direct 

 from the tuber without any stem (there is 

 sometimes, however, a small stem, especi- 

 ally if the tuber be planted deep) ; at first 

 they spread horizontally, but ultimately 

 become erect. The leaves are variously 

 marked ; the greater portion appear after 

 the flowers, and continue in great beauty 

 the whole winter and early spring, when, 

 if well grown, they are one of the greatest 

 ornaments of borders and rock-gardens. 

 Often these leaves are 6 in. long, 5^ in 



