Bonvardia trqjJiijlla, and Eranthis hyemulis. 56'6 



pose " only those plants whose blossoms are scented, some 

 being much more so than others." A fragrant variety of 

 C. europ8e\im, also, is indicated, in Vol. I. p. 453., as having 

 bloomed with Messrs. Rollison of Tooting; and, in Vol. V. 

 p. 613., a " very delightful and delicate fragrance " is 

 ascribed to the " true C. europae'um," then growing at Mr. 

 Knight's Nursery, Chelsea. Are not the blossoms of most 

 kinds of Cyclamen fragrant ? Is it generally known that the 

 herbage, and the tuber more especially, of C. europje'um, are 

 intensely acrimonious ? The acrimony is at first impercep- 

 tible, but palpable enough subsequently. Smith's English 

 Flora, vol. i. p. 273., first taught me the fact ; and Lindley's 

 excellent Introduction to the Natiiral Si/stau ofHotany, p. 226., 

 also states that " the root of Cyclamen is famous for its 

 acridity," and further informs us, " Yet this is the principal 

 food of the wild boars of Sicily, whence its common name of 

 Sowbread." This fact reminds me of having observed snails 

 {Helix hortensis) to feed on the fiery-flavoured foliage of the 

 Clematis Flaipmula, or sweet-scented virgin's bower. Flani- 

 niula signifies a little flame, and the flavour of the plant is 

 inflammatory enough. Is the acrimony of Cyclamen eu- 

 ropae'um, the same in kind and in degree, possessed by every 

 species and variety of Cyclamen ? It is scarcely in place here 

 to notice the wonde)"ful physiological fact displayed in the 

 peduncles of C. europae\mi and other species : they are 

 straight until the flowers are past and the germens are im- 

 pregnated; after which they become spiral, enclosing the 

 germen in the centi-e, and, lowering it to the earth, repose on 

 the surface of the soil till the seeds are ready to escape. This 

 beautiful and admirable process is sufficient to suggest to the 

 observant gardener that the seeds of Cyclamen require to be 

 sown the moment they are ripe. So do the seeds of most 

 bulbs and tubers. 



I will add that I once divided a tuber, on whose crown 

 v.'ere several eyes or buds, into four portions : two of these 

 survived, and grew pretty well ; but the mode seems not 

 practically useful. 



A mode of cultivating Cyclamen, so as to procure an abun- 

 dance of blossoms, is given at p. 483. 



Bouvardivi triphylla. Two very distinct plants are about 

 under this name : one with smooth, glossy, dark green leaves ; 

 the other with pubescent foliage, of a paler green. The latter 

 has been published in the Botanical Register, t. 107., as Bou- 

 vardm triphylla var. pubescens, but has since been distin- 

 guished as a species, probably with great propriety, and 

 denominated Bouvardm Jacquin/V. The former, or smooth- 



() o 2 



