THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 30 



coinpan}'ing engraving, wliicli is a very accurate representation of the 

 plant in tlower. 



The Cyclamen can l)e propagated successfully only from seed, but 

 as that is a somewhat tedious process, requiring two, and sometimes 

 three years to produce corms of sufficient size to flower, tlie process of 

 raising them will not now be dwelt upon. The corms, already grown 

 to sufficient size for flowering, can be purchased of the nurserymen 

 and florists for fifty cents apiece, and when once procured, with, proper 

 treatment, will last many years. They are called corms because they 

 are solid and not formed, as bulbs are, of imbricated scales. 



Most persons will purchase their Cyclamens when in flower, and 

 therefore we commence our hints on their culture at tliis point. When 

 you have brought them home, place them in the window, as close to 

 the glass as possible, where they \vill have abundance of light; they do 

 not require much heat, even when in flower; indeed they flourish better 

 and hold their flowers longer where the temperature is not raised higher 

 than sixty-five°. They should be ^vatered with care, not allowing the 

 soil to become diy, nor, on the other hand, to be kept soaked wdth 

 water. \Vlien they have finished flowering, they should be slowly 

 ripened off, witholding water gradually, and exposing them fully to 

 the sun and air. After they are thoroughly ripened, it is the writer's 

 practice to plunge the pots into a bed on the north side of a building 

 or tight board fence, w'here they will be sheltered from the full power 

 of the sun. The pots are plunged deep enough to cover the corms with 

 soil to the depth of a couj^le of inches. Here they can be safely lei"t 

 until September, unless mice find them, if they do they wall surely 

 devour them. About the first of September they should be taken up, 

 knocked out of the pots, and repotted in fresh soil. Do not use large 

 pots, one that will receive the corm nicely is large enough, the same 

 pot often answering for tw^o or more years. A soil composed of well- 

 rotted turf, decayed leaves, and sand, in about equal pai-ts, will be found 

 well adapted to them. The addition of a little pounded charcoal, or 

 soot from the chimney, is thought to add to the depth of color of both 

 leaves and flowers. In potting, put plenty of broken crock or bits of 

 charcoal in the bottom of the pot, so as to give it good drainage, then 

 fill with soil and plant the corm so that the top of it will be level with 

 the rim of the pot, and one third of it above the surface of the soil; 



