218 THE CYCLAMEN. 



the hotbed, they are sure to be. By pursuing this treat- 

 ment, the flowers will begin to expand about the middle of 

 July, and continue until the first of November, or later, 

 if housed on the approach of frosty weather. The foliage 

 of the plant, if propagation is an object, should never be 

 touched by the frost ; and, in winter, the bulbs should be kept 

 in a warm, dry cellar. Propagation is effected by means 

 of offsets, which are freely produced, and should be planted 

 in spring, in rich, light soil, in a sunny exposure. Flowers 

 may be expected from them the third year. 



THE CYCLAMEN. 



There is no more ornamental plant for greenhouse or 

 parlor culture than the cyclamen. It grows readily, flowers 

 freely ; the foliage is neat, the flowers handsome, and last 

 long in perfection ; and, with all these merits, it has no 

 faults. From being long utterly neglected, the cyclamen 

 has recently attracted much attention in England : fine new 

 hybrids have been produced, and the horticultural journals 

 have been filled with reports of cyclamen culture. 



The cyclamen thrives well in a soil composed of equal 

 parts of turfy loam, peat, leaf-mould, and silver-sand, well 



