Retrospective Criticism. 



ni 



127 place them in a dark cellar, changing the water in 



I which they are kept. Flowers shown in pots are 

 ' kept in darkness in the same way, which improves 

 their colour wonderfully. I have no doubt, that, 

 if you had seen the polyanthus when packed, you 

 would not have considered it the same flower, 

 when unpacked. For this mode of packing, a 

 light box {fig. 127.) is made to fit the pot, with 

 a little moss I'ound the pot to prevent it brealdng, 

 and a little tied over the top to prevent the 

 earth from falling out. Two round pieces of 

 wood {a, b) are nailed to the lid, to keep the 

 pot in its place; and in unpacking there is no 

 difficulty, as the pieces come up with the lid, and 

 the flower is tied to a small stick in the pot. — M. Saul. Sulyard Street, 

 Liancaster, August 6. 1831. 



Culture of Cyclamen vernuni and repandum. — Sir, With reference to Mr. 

 Housman's communication on the cultivation of Cyclamen coum (p. 561.), 

 and also the remarks of J. D. (p. 562.), I am surprised that neither of them 

 has adverted to two other species, equally beautiful, and deserving of culti- 

 vation : I allude to C. vernum and repandum, the latter of which is exceed- 

 ingly fragrant, and not surpassed in beauty by any of the species. C. vernum 

 is very similar to C. coum in habit and colour ; but differs, in having a leaf 

 variegated, somewhat like that of C. persicum : the corolla is rather darker^ 

 and the peduncles shorter ; and, as far as my observation has gone, I should 

 say that it blooms more abundantly than C. coum. With i-espect to the fra- 

 grancy of this genus, I have found, that, of the C. persicum, some are sweet, 

 and some have no scent whatever; of the C. /iederaefolium, I never found 

 one that was sweet-scented, although there are several varieties. The C. 

 coum and vernum have no scent, but C. europ^^um is highly fragrant. I 

 have endeavoured to cross theC. persicum with the C. repandum, and also 

 the C. coum and C. vernum ; but with what success I am not able to tell, 

 the roots not having yet flowered : but should I observe any variation, I 

 shall be very happy to communicate it to you. The peduncles of all the 

 species, as far as my observation goes, become spiral as soon as thegermen 

 begins to enlarge. Those of C. persicum are less spiral than those of the 

 other species. 



I fully agree with J. D., that there is no genus more deserving of attention 

 than the Cyclamen, both as to its beauty and the duration of the flowers ; 

 for, with a very little care, it is possible to have some of the species in 

 bloom every month throughout the year. It is, therefore, extraordinary 

 that so little attention should be given to the cultivation of the cyclamens ; 

 indeed, I fear that this genus, like many others, is sacrificed to the rage for 

 variety. I am. Sir, yours, &c. — E. London, Oct. 5. \SB\. 



Indigenous Eticce and the Varieties of Volygala vtdgdris. — Sir, I thank 

 Mi\ Bree for his I'eply (p. 379.) to my queries (p. 246.) on these subjects. 

 I agree with Mr. Bree that they were hardly worth asking " in print." 

 When I asked them, I had not, however, books to consult, but have since 

 procured some ; and have also since found several varieties of ^rica vul- 

 garis, such as mentioned in your Hbrtus Britdnnicus, and an abundance of 

 both i?rica Tetralix and E. cinerea. 



I think Mr. Bree mistakes my meaning as to Polygala vulgaris. I have 

 read in some book (I forget the title) that the flowers of Polygala vulgaris 

 are changeable, and that flowers have been found of several colours on the 

 same plant ; but this I never saw. The sense of my query as to the differ- 

 ent colours of the flowers of Polygala vulgaris is this : — Are these four 

 distinct varieties (not species) ? or are they all one, and the flowers change- 

 able in colour ? If so, what is the cause of the change of the colour ? 



