10 GARDEN FLOWERS. 



the round-leaved cyclamen (Cyclamen Coum) 

 often salutes the opening year. The name of 

 this genus, taken from the Greek, and signify- 

 ing circular, is expressive either of the leaves, 

 or, more probably, of the numerous serpent- 

 like coils, into which the fruitstalks entwine 

 themselves. The bulbs of this and the other 

 species of cyclamen are as large as a Guinea- 

 fowl's-egg. They contain a great degree of 

 acridity. In the north of Italy swine feed upon 

 them, hence the name by which this plant is 

 often called of sow-bread. It is not till the 

 beautiful flowers of the cyclamen wither away, 

 that the stalks assume the coiled form before 

 alluded to ; when, screwing themselves round, 

 they inclose the rudiments of the fruit in the 

 centre, and lying down among the fohage, re- 

 main in that position till it comes to maturity. 

 This early cyclamen is very general in the 

 south of Europe. 



The Persian cyclamen, {Cyclamen Persicum,) 

 which blooms two months later, and is far less 

 hardy than this, is a native of the isle of 

 Cypru.s, and was introduced into this country 

 rather more than a century since. One rarer 

 species, the ivy-leaved (Cyclamen hedercefolium,) 

 has a most fragrant odour, and sometimes en- 

 livens the window among the white and lUac 

 primroses, which are cherished in flower-pots 

 at this season. 



Large patches of the broad-leaved candy 

 tuft (Iberis semperflorens) are now on the gar- 

 den-plot, with clusters of pure white cross- 



