CULTIVATION OF THE CYCLAMEN. 19 



watered when there is danger of getting soft. They may be pot- 

 ted for flowering the first of September, in two parts of fibrows mould 

 and one of leaf mould, and should have but little water until the 

 foliage is well developed. Mr. O'Brien has had the leaves of 

 plants frozen without injur}', if properly cared for afterwards. 

 They are sometimes allowed to grow in the same pots for two years, 

 but, though they produce good flowers, the foliage is poor. He 

 has one seedling with distinct foliage, and one with double flowers. 

 There is no better house plant ; they are easily taken care of, flower 

 abundantly, and are free from insects. Mr. O'Brien's seed was 

 imported from Williams, of London, as very fine. The plants were 

 grown among other flowers where the temperature could not be 

 regulated solely with reference to their wants. It should be about 

 50°, but the first of the week it fell to 28° without injury. 



C. M. Hovey said he had been much pleased with Mr. O'Brien's 

 specimens, and thought he had been remarkablj' successful with 

 them. The plant had been a great favorite with him, but he had 

 seen very few good specimens. Though it had been a long time 

 in cultivation, its treatment was not well understood. It can be 

 propagated only by seed, and the varieties cannot be perpetuated. 

 Williams', Wiggin's, and Wetherell's strains are all good. The 

 plants require care rather than labor. Mr. Hovey said he had 

 saved seed and sown it in Jul}', in a pan on sand, with three pipes 

 under the bench, and kept it in a house from 50° to 55° this win- 

 ter. Two hundred plants could be raised in a pan from eight to 

 ten inches in diameter. The da}^ before he pricked ofi" four pots 

 of seedlings, the largest bulbs being as large as peas. Unless 

 placed in heat the seeds require from four to six weeks to vegetate. 

 He thought Mr. O'Brien's plants must have had more heat than 

 was stated. The bulbs must be cared for after flowering, and not 

 kept too wet nor too dry. He would plant out after blooming, in 

 a prepared bed of light soil, taking them up in good season, say 

 September 10, and potting in the soil recommended by Mr. O'Brien. 

 The Italian species are more hardy than the Persicum. He had a lot 

 spoiled by being slightly frosted, and would guard against frost, 

 especially when the plants are about to flower. 



Mr. O'Brien said there is a great difference in the germination 

 of the seed. Not all the bulbs produced are of the size of these. 

 At ♦!:imes these have had considerable heat. The plants were 

 pricked out the end of June, when they were about the size of a 



