Retrospective Crilicism. 71 7 



^^ place them in a dark cellar, changing the water in 



^«^^ss^^ss^ which they are kept. Flowers shown in pots are 

 "^ n~ T *^^P* '^ darkness in the same way, which improves 

 ^'S? ! j their colour wonderfully. I have no doubt, that, 



j if you had seen the polyanthus when packed, you 

 1 would not have considered it the same flower, 

 ^^hen unpacked. For this mode of packins, a 

 \ [1- :^ _ -ight bos (Jig. 1-27.) is made to fit the pot, with 



M j ^ little moss round the pot to prevent it breaking, 



I i I and a little tied over the top to prevent the 



^ earth from falling out. Two round pieces of 



5g^,^= .'.ood (or, b) are nailed to the lid, to keep the 



^^^^/-: -^--: I pot in its place; and in impacking there is no 



: i difficulty, as the pieces come up with the lid, and 



the flow er is tied to a small stick in the pot. — J/. Saul. Su/j/ard Sireef, 

 Lancaster, August 6. 1831. 



Culture of Cyclamen vernum and repandum. — Sir, With reference to 3Ir. 

 Housman's communication on the cultivation of Cyclamen coum (p. 561.), 

 and also the remarks of J. D. (p. 562.), I am surprised that neither of them 

 has adverted to two other species, equally beautifiil, and deserA-ing of culti- 

 vation : I allude to C. vernum and repandum, the latter of which is exceed- 

 ingly fragrant, and not surpassed in beauty by any of the species. C. vernum 

 is very similar to C. coum in habit and colour ; but differs, in having a leaf 

 variegated, somewhat like that of C. persicum : the coroUa is rather darker, 

 and the peduncles shorter ; and, as far as my observation has gone, I should 

 say that it blooms more abundantly than C. coum. With respect to the fra- 

 grancy of this genus, I have foimd, that, of the C. persicum, some are sweet, 

 and some have no scent whatever ; of the C. ^ederffifolium, I never found 

 one that was sweet-scented, although there are several varieties. The C. 

 coum and vernum have no scent, but C. europje'um is highly fragrant. I 

 have endeavoured to cross the C. persicum with the C. repandum, and also 

 the C. coum and C. vernum ; but with what success I am not able to tell, 

 the roots not having yet flowered : but should I observe any variation, I 

 shall be very happy to communicate it to you. The peduncles of all the 

 species, as far as my observation goes, become spiral as soon as the germen 

 begins to enlarge. Those of C. persicum are less spiral than those of the 

 other species. 



I fiiUy agree with J. D., that there is no genus more deserving of attention 

 than the Cyclamen, both as to its beauty and the duration of the flowers ; 

 for, with a very little care, it is possible to have some of the species in 

 bloom every month throughout the year. It is, therefore, extraordinarv 

 that so little attention should be given to the cultivation of the cyclamens j 

 indeed, I fear that this genus, like many others, is sacrificed to the rage for 

 variety. I am. Sir, yours, <S:c. — E. London, Oct. 5. 1831. 



Ijidigenous Kricce and the Varieties of J^olt/gala vulgaris. — Sir, I thank 

 IVIr. Bree for his reply (p. 379.) to my queries (p. 24:6.) on these subjects. 

 I agree with Mr. Bree that they were hardly worth asking " in print." 

 When I asked them, I had not, however, books to consult, but have since 

 procured some ; and have also since found several varieties of £"rica vul- 

 garis, such as mentioned in your Hortus Britannicus, and an abundance of 

 both Enca Tetralix and E. cinerea. 



I think Mr. Bree mistakes my meaning as to Polvgala vulgaris. I have 

 read in some book (I forget the title) that the flowers of Polvgala vulgaris 

 are changeable, and that flowers have been found of several colours on the 

 same plant ; but this I never saw. The sense of my query as to the dilFer- 

 ent colours of the flowers of Polvgala ^■ulga^is is this : — Are these four 

 distinct varieties (not species) ? or are they all one, and the flowers change- 

 able in colour ? If so, what is the cause of the change of the colour ? 



