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Mat 6, 1920 



The Florists^ Review 



19 



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LAMEN CULT 



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YCLAMENS today, owing 

 to careful selection of the 

 finest plants and flowers 

 for seed, are among 

 —J the most popular flower- 



®y ^ ing plants for late fall and 

 1 >^< the Christmas holidays. 

 ^-'l J ^ The flowering period com- 

 J| mences in November and, 

 with proper care, will con- 

 tinue until March. It is of the utmost 

 importance to secure fresh seed from 

 the best flowers. There is today a 

 varied assortment of colors and they 

 are all indispensable; sometimes salmon 

 is called for, sometimes pink, or red, or 

 white, but it is the variety which the 

 public likes and not one particular color. 



Grow Tliem Cool. 



To have fine specimens for the Christ- 

 mas holidays, the seed should be sown 

 during August of the previous year in 

 shallow boxes, with the seed about one- 

 half inch apart each way. A light soil 

 should be used, consisting of one-half 

 leaf-mold, one-fourth light, sandy loam 

 and one-fourth sharp sand. Cover the 

 seed only so that it does not appear on 

 the surface; press gently and water so 

 that the soil is well soaked. Failure is 

 sure to follow if the seed is allowed 

 to get dry. The seed boxes should be 

 placed in a moderately warm house, 

 about 65 degrees, and kept there until 



By J. A. PETERSON. 



the seedlings come up, which will be 

 in from six to eight weeks. During 

 that period' they should be kept dark 

 and well shaded. 



When the young seedlings are well up 

 they should be given more light, close 

 to the glass, or upon a shelf, where they 

 will remain until they have about three 

 leaves, continual care being taken not 

 to allow the young plants to become too 

 dry; a temperature of 55 degrees will 

 now be sufficient. About the latter part 

 of December or the beginning of 

 January the young plants should be 

 transplanted into 2-inch pots, using a 

 light compost. They may also be 

 transplanted into flats and planted 

 about two inches apart, but the 2-inch 

 pots are preferable, since the plants do 

 not suffer by having their roots dis- 

 turbed again. At this stage keep the 

 night temperature about 55 degrees; 

 young cylamens should be grown cool, 

 as there is no advantage in having 

 them make rapid growth at this time. 

 A short, sturdy plant is much to be pre- 

 ferred to a large, weak one; it voll 

 not suffer so much when warm weather 

 commences and it grows more naturally. 



Repotting. 



About March the young plants should 

 be repotted into 3-inch pots, this time 



using a little stronger soil and adding 

 some old, dry manure. Give each plant 

 plenty of room; long, drawn-up leaves 

 will not make satisfactory plants. 

 About May 15 repot into 4-inch pots, 

 where they should remain until August, 

 when they should receive their final 

 potting, according to size. For the 

 final potting a good soil mixture con- 

 sists of three parts sandy loam, three 

 parts leaf-mold, two parts old, well 

 rotted manure and two parts coarse 

 sand. For the first and second potting 

 the young corms should be covered to 

 their tops, but not any deeper. In the 

 final potting a small portion of the 

 corm is best left above the soil; if 

 potted too deep they are likely to rot. 

 Always use clean pots with plenty of 

 drainage and pot moderately firm. 



Use of Insecticides. 



During the summer months cyclamens 

 require as cool a house as possible, 

 with all the side ventilators, as well 

 as the top ventilators, open day and 

 night. A slight shade is also required 

 to keep the foliage from burning. At 

 all times the plants should have all the 

 room they want; if standing too close 

 together, they will become long and 

 lanky. 



All moths and butterflies must be 

 caught and killed. Cyclamens are also 

 subject to mite, thrips and red spider; 



HouK of Cyclamen Selected for Seed at Westwood, Photographed In January of ThU Year. 



