636 



Gardening for Amateurs 



October those that blossom in winter and 

 spring. 



Hardy Cyclamen are best propagated 

 from seeds ; if sown as soon as ripe, they 

 will germinate in a month or six weeks, 

 while if kept for any length of time the 

 seeds may remain dormant for six months. 

 Shallow pans filled with light, sandy soil 

 should be used ; sow thinly, and place in a 

 cold frame, where the conditions are cool 

 and moist. Prick out the seedlings when 

 large enough 1J inches apart in other shallow 



the end of August to October ; the silvery- 

 marbled foliage appears after the flowers. 

 There is a very pretty white variety, album. 

 In winter C. cilicicum is gay with purple 

 and white fragrant flowers, the marbled 

 foliage coming at the same time. C. Coum 

 is a dainty Cyclamen about 3 inches high 

 with deep purple flowers, there are also 

 white and rose-coloured forms. It flowers 

 from December to March, the leaves are 

 round and green, hence the common name 

 of the Round-leaved Cvclamen. C. ibericum 



Winter Aconite (Eranthis hyemalis) in the grass. 



pans, keep them in the frame during winter, 

 stand outside in spring, and in late summer 

 or autumn plant out permanently. Each 

 year in autumn the soil ought to be mulched 

 liberally with leaf-mould and some very 

 old manure from a spent hotbed or mush- 

 room bed. 



Two beautiful autumn-flowering Cycla- 

 men are C. europaeum and C. neapolitanum. 

 C. europaeum bears purplish-red fragrant 

 flowers from July or August to October. 

 The leaves are dark green marbled with 

 white, reddish beneath ; 4 inches high ; 

 leaves and flowers appear together. C. 

 neapolitanum has rosy-pink flowers from 



resembles the last-named, but has marbled 

 leaves. C. Atkinsii is a hybrid between C. 

 Coum and C. ibericum. There are forms of 

 this or varieties with rose, crimson, lilac, 

 and white with crimson base. The last 

 hardy Cyclamen to flower in spring is C. 

 repandum ; it has silvery-marbled foliage 

 and crimson flowers. There is also a white 

 variety, alba. 



Eranthis (Winter Aconite). This is 

 one of the earliest of spring flowers, its golden 

 yellow blossoms open during February. 

 After they fade the rich shining green leaves 

 are very pleasing. Plant the roots 2 to 3 

 inches deep, and 3 inches apart, from August 



