8O HOME FLORICULTURE 



running through it. The flowers are mostly of shades 

 of pink and mauve, passing into white toward the 

 extremity of the petals, which are sharply reflexed. A 

 well-grown plant will seldom be without flowers from 

 January to April. The bulbs should be pressed down 

 on top of the soil to about half their depth. They like 

 a rich soil, with plenty of sand in it. They do not 

 require much water, but they must not be allowed 

 to get dry during their season of flowering. A weekly 

 application of liquid manure helps to increase the size 

 and quantity of the flowers. In summer the bulbs 

 should be dried off gradually, and the pots containing 

 them put out of doors in some shady place where they 

 will get plenty of air. Give just enough water to 

 keep them from drying up. Repot in September, using 

 the same size of pot they have been growing in. Do 

 not be alarmed if the bulbs lose their foliage in sum- 

 mer. As long as the bulbs remain plump and hard 

 they are all right. Old bulbs, however, are not so 

 desirable as young ones, and I would advise the 

 purchase of young plants each season in preference 

 to keeping over plants which have done duty in the 

 house for a season. The Cyclamen is generally classed 

 among the bulbs. It is not a bulb, however, strictly 

 speaking. A well-grown plant of Cyclamen Persicum 

 is seen in Fig 14. 



The Jasmines 



Under the name of Jasmine or Jessamine several 

 different kinds of plants are popular with most ama- 

 teur floriculturists^ because of the ease with which they 

 can be grown. Give them soil of ordinary richness, 

 sunshine, and keep them free from insects, and they 

 are pretty sure to do well in the sitting room or in the 

 greenhouse. 



