318 Cultivation of the Cy daman. 



ally flower the second year, and sometimes sooner. Seeds of 

 the C. persicum, sown in June, have flowered the following 

 March. 



They will vegetate freely in a close frame if in spring or 

 summer, and those sown in autumn should be placed in the 

 greenhouse, watered sparingly until spring, increasing the 

 supply as the season advances ; about the month of June fol- 

 lowing, the latter will be strong enough for transplanting. 

 Those sown in summer will be better to remain undisturbed 

 until the following spring. The strongest may be potted 

 singly into small pots ; the smaller, transplanted into pots or 

 boxes two or three inches apart, according to the size of the 

 tubers. They require to be kept in a close atmosphere until 

 they recover the eff"ect of removal ; afterwards give abun- 

 dance of air. 



The general treatment of old tubers is very simple. As 

 already mentioned they seem to grow best in light soil. A 

 mixture of equal parts of light turfy loam and peat earth, or 

 leaf mould, will grow and flower all the varieties in perfection. 

 The pots should always be at least twice the size of the 

 diameter of the tuber, thoroughly clean and well drained. 

 The tubers should never be entirely covered with the soil ; 

 one third at least should be left exposed : this keeps the roots 

 near the surface, and prevents the tubers from rotting, a very 

 probable circumstance at some seasons when they are deep 

 potted. Before putting them into fresh pots, shake away all 

 the old soil, and keep them in a warm moist atmosphere until 

 they are .well started into growth. 



Always water sparingly when they are starting to grow, 

 increasing the supply as they approach to a flowering state ; 

 diminish gradually as the leaves decay, and finally give them 

 a season of rest by keeping them nearly dry. Some culti- 

 vators withhold water entirely, others shake them out of the 

 soil as soon as the leaves decay. The latter method is not 

 commendable, and the former only with those sorts that rest 

 in winter. If the summer resting sorts do not get the soil 

 moistened occasionally about their roots, they will be almost 

 sure to get over-dried before being potted, and be of little 

 value the following season, if not entirely destroyed. 



