THE GARDENERS CHRONICLE, 
(Serr. 23, 
adapted to one of these screws, the return-pipe to the 
other. The bottom of the cistern is kept about three 
inches deeper than the bottom of the gutters, so as to 
permit sediment tofall into it, as has already been stated, 
Fig. 2. 
Fig. 2 is a section of the pit, showing the hot-water 
gutters, which are made by placing a 14-inch tile on 
hollow brickwork, as indicated more particularly at 
ig. 8. A brick on edge forms the sides ; the inside 
is then cemented, as shown by the shaded part, and 
the whole is finished with a 14-inch tile on the top. 
A space of about two inches is left between the gutter 
and the front wall, and allows the air from the under 
side of the gutter as it becomes heated to ascend and 
pass over the partition marked B, to be made available 
for top-heat. 
ON THE VARIETIES OF CYCLAMEN. 
Ivy enumerating the following species, I have divided 
them into two sections. The first are those with orbicular 
or reniform leaves; the second are those with angular or 
hgstate leaves. 
Section I.—(Round or kidney-shaped leaves). 
No. 1. Cyclamen coum (the round-leaved spring- 
flowering Sowbread).—This ‘species has entire round 
leaves, heart-shaped at*the base, of a dark green on the 
upper surface, and reddish purple on the under, °. If is 
destitute of that white marbled appearance on the upper 
surface so common to most of the other species. The 
flowers are rather small, scentless, of a bright reddish 
purple, and produced from January to March. The 
roots are also rather small, flat, and quite hardy. It is 
to be found in some collections under the name of 
C. orbiculare. 
No. 2. Cyclamen Europeum (the round-leaved 
summer flowering Sowbread).— This species has small 
leaves, which are slightly denticulated, and roundly heart- 
shaped, strongly marked on the upper surface with an 
irregular white band. The flowers are rather small, 
bright-reddish purple, and very like those of the preceding 
both in size and colonr. They are produced from July to 
September, and are sweet-scented. The roots are small 
and quite hardy. It bears the following names in collec- 
tions :—C. Clusii, C. eestivum, C. littorale, C. officinale, 
C. retroflexum, C, Hungaricum. 
No. 3. Cyclamen vernum (the round-leaved winter- 
Slowering Sowbread ).—This species has leaves double the 
size of those of C. coum, and nearly four times those of 
C. Europzeum ; they are quite round and entire, with the 
lobes at the base overlapping the stalk, and marked on 
the upper surface with an irregular band of white, which 
is not the case with the leaves of C. coum. The flowers 
are like those of the two preceding kinds in form and 
colour, but a little larger and produced from November to 
January. The roots are rather larger than those of the 
two preceding kinds, and the plant is frequently con- 
founded with C. coum in collections. The name hyemale 
(winter) would be far more appropriate for this very dis- 
tinct species, for it has done flowering before spring com- 
metices ; this may account in a great measure for its 
always being confounded with C. coum, (the spring-flower- 
ing kind,) but it may be distinguished at first sight by its 
larger leaves having a-very conspicuous white band on 
their upper strfuce. I have raised this species from seed, 
and the plants have always retained this character, and 
that of flowering during the winter, if protected from the 
wet. It has the leaves of C. persicum and the flowers of 
C. coum, 
No. 4. Cyclamen Persicum (the reniform - leaved 
spring flowering Sowbread.)—This species has rather large 
kidney-shaped toothed leaves, marbled with white on the 
upper surface and deep purple on the under side. The 
flowers are white, but there are several varieties raised 
from seeds, some with white flowers having a pink eye, 
others all pink or pale lilac, some with jagged petals, 
others with double flowers, others with sweet-scented 
flowers, and others quite inodorous or with dotted flowers. 
It blooms from February to May, according to the treat- 
ment it receives, and is an excellent plant for moderate 
forcing. The roots are rather large and flattish 3 they are 
tender and soon destroyed by frost. It bears the following 
names in collections :—C, lzefolium, C. odoratum. 
bs PY 
Section IJ.—(The angular or hastate leaved.) 
N; A eed 
a 
C. purpu- 
rascens, C. subhastatum, C. Poli, and C. hederzfolium 
purpureum. It is to be found in nearly all collections 
under the name of C, hederzefolium, a very appropriate 
appellation, 
No. 6. Cyclamen hederafolium (the “angular-leaved 
spring flowering Sowbread).— This is a very desirable 
species, with broad, denticulate, marbled, dark-green, 
angular leaves, marked on the upper surface with white, 
and purple on the under. The flowers at first are white, 
but as they advance and get fully expanded, they change 
to a deep flesh-colour. The petals are particularly twisted 
and narrow. It flowers from March to May, and is very 
sweet scented. The bulbs are round, rather small, and 
tender. It bears the following names in collections :—C. 
repandum, C, latifolium, C. ficariefolium, and C. fra- 
grans.—George Gordon. 
COTTAGE GARDENS IN SCOTLAND. 
Tux letter, some months ago, of a Stirling correspondent, 
who wishes the subject to be taken up in the columns of 
the Gardeners’ Chronicle for the benefit of the cottagers 
in Scotland, are worthy of particular attention. But be- 
fore pointing out to the cottager those articles which he 
ought to grow in his garden, and how he ought to crop 
with regard to Succession, something else must be done, 
otherwise the generality of such persons will look on the 
suggestions as merely to be read, but not to be put into 
practice. Amateur gardeners, such as this correspondent 
seems to be, and the aristocracy of Scotland, who have 
means and influence, must take up the subject, and hold 
out some inducements to the cottager to cultivate his 
garden well, and to keep his cottage and all connected 
with it neat and clean. In England this system is now 
pursued with the best results; and although there are 
some societies in Scotland for the same purpose, they are 
far from being so general as they ought to be. These ob- 
jects should be carried out, in the first place, by purchas- 
ing kitchen-garden and flow ds for distribution 
amongst the cottagers; and in the next, by holding out 
rewards to those who make the best use of the secds given 
to them. The prizes should not be confined to the first, 
second, or third best, but a large number should be re- 
warded in some way ; in fact, all who have shown anxiety 
about the matter should be stimulated and encouraged, 
This has a much better effect than when the best only re- 
ceive the prize, because in this case the great mass are 
apt to be discouraged. 
The cottagers of Scotland are a sharp-sighted and in- 
telligent class of persons; and, in order to better their 
condition, we must first of all convince them that what we 
Propose to do is really for their benefit. Every one 
knows that, until a few years back, they were notorious 
for the manner in which ashes and filth were allowed to 
accumulate in front of their doors and round the walls of 
their houses. The nobility and other landed proprietors 
in the country attempted to make them a little cleanlier 
and more tasteful in this respect, and they have certainly 
succeeded, for heaps of ashes or dunghills in front of cot- 
tages are now almost unknown. But it was curious to 
witness the manner in which the change was brought 
round. The lord’s commands went forth, directing the 
dunghills to be removed; the gardener from the Hall was 
sent to make gardens in front of the doors, and to plant 
them with shrubs and flowers. The walls of the cottages 
too were covered with the choicest creepers; and when 
all was done, it was of course expected that the cottagers 
would attend to them and keep them clean and neat ; but 
many of them felt much toe grand to be comfortable, and 
took it into their heads that it was not for their benefit 
that all these changes were wrought. The gardener who 
planted these gardens was obliged to attend to them him- 
self; and in one place, which I had an opportunity of 
seeing a few weeks ago, the pales in front of the doors 
(which were placed for a protection to the plants) were 
down, and everything destroyed, excepting a few strong- 
growing trees. 
The system of changing masters too frequently ope! 
strongly against the imp ment of cottage-gardens : 
this is particularly the case in the agricultural districts 
in the south of Scotland. The cottagers here are of two 
classes—either ‘ hinds,” that is, farm-servants, engaged to 
work horses ; or ‘ cottars,”” who merely rent houses and 
work day or piece-work either on the farm or elsewhere : 
the former are engaged by the year, and are paid chiefly in 
the produce of the farm, that is, a certain quantity of Corn, 
and so much ground in the fields, which they can plant 
with Potatoes, food fora Cow, Grass, &c. The latter engage 
their houses for the same period, which commences and 
ends at Whitsunday. Many of both classes change houses 
and masters every year or two, and of course it would be 
rates 
difficult to make such persons feel much interest in the 
gardens which are always attached to their houses. 
Taking these things into consideration, and havin 
mingled in the society of the cottagers of Scotiand for 
nearly 30 years, and having consequently become inti- 
mately acquainted with their habits and failings, I world 
advise all those who are anxious to improve their cendi- 
tion to begin by making their homes comfortable. Having 
done this, try to make them feel an interest in their gare 
dens by those means which I have already pointed out, 
and it will soon be found that they will not be behind 
their English neighbours in their love for vegetables and 
for flowers. I have often heard many of the higher classes 
of society, who are in the habit of visiting England, 
regret the difference between the two countries in this 
respect. The English cottager has his house covered 
with Roses and other creepers ; his Pelargoniums in the 
windows are attended with anxious care, and he has gene- 
rally a little plot of flowers and neat walks in front of his 
window. His vegetable garden contains, besides the more 
common things, French Beans, an arbour of Scarlet Run- 
ners, Celery, Cauliflowers, Cucumbers, and various other 
articles which are rarely or never seen in the cottage- 
gardens of Scotland. He is justin the state to profit by 
Mr. Paxton’s Cottage Calendar, or by the articles on Cot- 
tage Gardening published weekly in the first volume of 
this Paper. The higher classes in Scotland, therefore, 
have the power in their hands to raise the character and 
enjoyments of their cottagers ; and in making this appeal 
to them in behalf of our countrymen, I would at the same 
time remind them that they will thus contribute greatly 
to their own enjoyment. What can afford higher gratifi- 
cation than to see the cottages converted from a kind of 
stable or cow-house into a comfortable dwelling-place, the 
inside neat and clean, the walls covered with Roses, Clem- 
atis, and Honeysuckle, and the cottager and his family 
taking an interest in his garden.—R. F. 
AMATEUR’S GARDEN.—No. XXXVIII. 
Tux time bas now arrived when the Amateur who 
thinks of having a show of flowers through the winter and 
early in spring, should have his plants prepared for that 
purpose. If my former instructions have been attended 
to, a great number of plants will have been prepared, 
potted off, and will now be strong healthy plants, well esta- 
blished to brave the winter’s dulness, and cheer us with 
their flowers. Among these should be a general collection 
of Californian and other North American annuals, a nice 
stock of Chinese, Tea-scented, and Bourbon Roses, with 
abundance of Cinerarias, Violets, and Mignonette in 
several different stages of growth, If these things have 
not been prepared, there is nota day to be lost, as, though 
the weather is fine and promising at the present time, it is 
not to be expected that it will long continue so ; and if 
the plants are not well established, at the latest, by the 
end of October, no after management will induce them to 
bloom with anything like freedom before the spring. 
Of Cinerarias, the smallest of the plants now potted 
will be those to bloom next May, and though to get 
unusually large specimens it is r ded to put four 
or five plants into a pot, it will be as well for those persons 
who intend to compete for prizes at the Horticultural 
Shows, to consider whether such specimens will be per- 
mitted to compete under the head of “the best 12 
plants.” I throw out these hints, because I hear that 
some persons are preparing plants in the above manner, 
which will most certainly disqualify them for exhibition. 
Cinerarias do not like to be too much exposed to currents 
of cold air in the winter, as I have frequently seen them 
much injured by being set out some distance apart after 
they had become crowded in the frame. The proper way 
is to set them so that the leaves just touch, but never to 
allow them to be crowded. If the runners have been 
regularly taken from the Neapolitan and Russian Violets, 
they will now be showing bloom abundantly. It is also 
quite time that the best of the plants were potted, and the 
remainder planted in a frame or on a warm south border, 
as recommended in my former article on this subject. 
Some importance is attached by some cultivators to the 
potting of Hyacinths and other bulbs early in September, 
ut, in my estimation, quite as much depends upon the 
after treatment of the bulbs as upon the time of potting. 
For bulbs to bloom at Christmas, the most hardy of the 
single varieties should be used, and after they are esta- 
blished in their pots, thcy should be placed in a brisk 
bottom-heat, and be kept covered with inverted pots, and 
in the dark, until the leaves and flower-stems are at least 
four inches long. One of the London nursérymen, in the 
instructions sent out with his bulb catalogue, highly 
recommends filling the pots with soil, and placing the 
bulb on the top, level with the rim of the pot, and cover 
it in a conical form very lightly with soil. This plan I 
tried several years back, and though it answered very well, 
there is one objection to it, viz., the roots frequently pro- 
trude themselves over the sides of the pots, and therefore 
get bro €n off in removing the plants from the plunging 
material. The old system of potting with the apex of 
the bulb level with the top of the pot is, in my estimation, 
preferable, It is a matter of little importance what soil 
the bulbs are planted in, so long as it is light and sandy, 
as the sap necessary for the production of the flower is 
already stored in the bulb, and only requires proper treat~ 
ment to develop it, whether it be planted in moss or 
soil, or placed over water. am a great advocate for 
planting a number of Van Thol Tulips in small 60 sized 
pots, and also the different kinds of Squills, such as Scilla 
amoena, bifolia, &c. These, with a few Hyacinths and 
Chinese Primroses, make admirable little groups for the 
drawing-room table when neatly arranged in flat baskets 
or trays, and the surface of the pots covered with moss. 
SS 
