Cyathodes 



( 264) 



Cyclamen 



others add from 9" to 12" to their height annually. 

 Propagation is by means of spores, as in other 

 Ferns. Soil, fibrous peat two parts, fibrous loam 

 one part, with a good quantity of coarse sand. 

 Thev may be grown in pots, tubs, or borders, 

 the 'last method being the best. When the roots | 

 are confined feeding is necessary, cow manure in ; 

 a liquid state, with an occasional application of ( 

 soot water, being the best fertiliser. When ,, 

 planted out thorough drainage is essential, and 

 large stones should be mixed with the soil to aid ] 

 in keeping it sweet and open. When growth is 

 active, abundance of fresh water must be given, 

 providing any surplus moisture can drain away 

 quickly. A "moist atmosphere should be main- 

 tained, and the stems kept moist by means of , 

 the syringe. 



Principal Species : 

 dealbata, 8' to 10', fronds medullaris, 20', fronds 



4' to 6'. 15'. 



Dregei, 12', fronds 3'. serra, 12. , fronds a . 



iiisignis, 10' to 12', fronds spinulosa, '!' to 3, fronds 



4' to 5'. 2'. 



pubescens, 5', fronds 2' to 



8'. 



pygmira, 2', fronds 11'. 

 Tussacii, 3', fronds 2'. 



Other Species : 

 arborea, 1;V, fronds 8'. 

 Hookeri, 6', fronds 4'. 

 mastersiana, 3' to 4', 



fronds 2'. 

 microphylla, 3' to 4', 



fronds 2' to 3'. 



CYATHODES. 



Greenhouse evergreen shrubs or trees (ord. 

 Epacrideffi), from Australia, New Zealand, etc., 

 compact in habit, with small. Heath-like leaves 

 and yellow or white flowers. Increased by means 

 of cuttings inserted in sandy peat and placed in a 

 cool propagating case. They require to be grown \ 

 in well-drained pots in sandy peat. 



Principal Species : 

 acerosa, 8', Ap., My., wh. glauca, 20', Ap., Je., wh. 



CYCAS. 



Description. An ornamental genus (ord. Cycad- 

 aceae), consisting of dwarf, slow-growing, ever- 

 green plants, with short, usually unbranched, 

 cylindrical stems, terminated by a handsome head 

 of long leaves. The male flowers are borne in cones, 

 and consist of mere scales bearing anthers on their 

 under side. The female cones are produced from 

 the crown inside the head of leaves, and consist of 

 a large mass of woolly, scale-like leaves carrying 

 the ovules. All are useful plants for the decora- 

 tion of large conservatories or stoves, but are out 

 of place in small structures. They are natives of 

 the warmer parts of Eastern Asia, Australia, etc. 

 From the pith of revoluta a Japanese plant a 

 kind of starch and sago is prepared, sago also 

 being furnished from the seeds of circinalis. 



Propagation. Seeds sown in sandy soil in a 

 temperature of from 60" to 70 germinate in a 

 few weeks' time, but, as the plants grow so slowly, 

 this method is only employed in the case of very 

 rare species ; in almost all cases mature stems are 

 imported. Propagation is also effected by scales. 



Soil. Good fibrous loam and coarse sand. 



Other Cultural Points. Repotting is required at 

 rare intervals only, consequently the pots or tubs 

 must be well drained, and only the best of soil 

 used. If they can be planted in a border they will 

 grow more quickly and give less trouble in the way 



of watering and cleaning. When growth is active 

 they require plenty of water, but may be kept 

 drier as the leaves mature. Throughout the spring 

 and summer they should be well syringed daily. 

 Several species are favourable host plants for mealy 

 bug and scale; to keep these down, frequent 

 syringing with an emulsion of soft soap and 

 paraffin is necessary. 



Principal Species \ 



circinalis, 8', Ivs. 9' to 10'. siamensis, 4', ITS. 3' to 4'. 

 revoluta, 8' to 10', Ivs. 5' tonkinensis,;V,lvs. . r >'toO'. 



to 6'. 



Other Species : 



celehica, .V, Ivs. 7' to 9'. Rumphii, 6', Ivs. 5'. 

 media, 12' or more, Ivs. 5'. Seemamiii, 7', Ivs. 5'. 

 uormaubyana, 6', Ivs. 5'. 



CYCLAMEN. 



Description. Greenhouse or hardy perennial, 

 deciduous herbs (iml. Piinralacese), with long- 

 stalked, roundish leaves, growing in tufts, from 

 thick, flattened rootstocks. The genus is essentially 

 ornamental, several species being among the best 

 of greenhouse and hardy winter-flowering plants. 

 In most cases the flowers are showy, ranging in 

 colour from white to reddish purple. The leaves 

 are deep green, often prettily marbled with pale 

 green or silver. The species most commonly grown 

 under glass is latifolium (,#. persicum). This in 

 itself has the finest flowers of all the species, but 

 by crossing and selection it has been greatly 

 improved until it has now attained to a very high 

 order of merit. There are many distinct strains 

 which come true from seeds. During recent vciirs 

 two forms have been introduced, which have crested 

 flowers and leaves respectively. The hardy species 

 are suitable for a variety of purposes. They may 

 be grown in pans for flowering in a cold green- 

 house, planted in a shady place on ^he rockery, 

 or naturalised in cool, shady places in the wild 

 garden or woodland. The flowers begin to appear 

 soon after the leaves die away in autumn, and are 

 produced throughout the winter until the leaves are 

 well advanced in spring. Throughout summer the 

 leaves make a dense carpet a few inches deep, 

 forming a striking contrast to other things. 



Propagation. Seeds should be sown from August 

 to October in well-drained pans of sandy loam, 

 and covered with their own depth of finely sifted 

 soil. The pans should be covered with a sheet of 

 glass, and stood in a temperature of from 55 W to 

 (50, shading from bright sunshine until germination 

 takes place. As soon as the young plants are 

 well above the soil, the hardy ones should be 

 removed to a cool frame, and the indoor ones left 

 in the same house, both being stood as near as 

 possible to the glass to prevent " drawing." When 

 the first leaf is well developed they should 

 be pricked out into pans, leaving 1" between 

 each two plants, or they may be put singly into 

 thumb pots. 



Soil. Good fibrous loam three parts, leaf mould 

 one part, and coarse sand one part. 



Other Cultural Points. When four leaves have 

 been made the plants should be potted singly into 

 :;" puts, and left, as before, in a light place in the 

 house or frame. The indoor ones should stay in 

 the warm house until they are well established in 

 3" pots, after which they should be stood in a cool 

 house or frame having 'an ash bottom, and from 

 which the lights can be removed if necessary. By 



