MISCELLANEOUS EXHIBITION PLANTS. 105 



to get it up to its best exhibition form. It should be kept 

 close to the glass to keep it dwarf and stocky ; but if it gi'ows 

 too high, that can be remedied by notching the stem just as the 

 comb appears, on both sides near the base of the leaves, and 

 " mossing " it with a handful of rich light soil enclosed within 

 the moss, into which the stem will quickly root from the upper 

 part of the notch. When the comb is fully grown, the stem 

 will be well rooted in the moss, and then may be safely cut off 

 below the ball, placed in a suitable pot, and shaded for a few 

 days till the roots run freely into the new soil, when it should 

 be gradually hardened off, and is then ready for exhibition. 

 Combs of a very large size have been grown in an ordinary 

 dung frame, when kept close to the glass and supplied with 

 liquid manure twice a week. The chief points of merit are : 

 (1.) Size of the comb and health of the foliage ; (2.) form, of the 

 comb, which should be close and even; and (3.) substance and 

 colour of the comb, which should be uniform. 



CYCLAJMEN. 

 The Persian Cyclamen forms a most beautiful and effective 

 dwarf specimen when well grown, and it is specially attractive 

 when used along with other plants as an edging to a group. 

 There are many good named varieties, but plants can be 

 grown from seed, the best of which will make first-rate 

 specimens for exhibition the second season after being raised. 

 The seed should be sown early in August, and the seedlings 

 pricked off and grown on in rich light loam and sand with 

 all the care that can be given to them, so as to secure well- 

 ripened crowns two inches or more in diameter by the fol- 

 lowing autumn. They should be re-potted into five-inch pots, 

 and started from September to November, according to the 

 date of the show. They thrive well in a compost of rich fibry 

 loam, leaf-mould, well-rotted manure, and silver sand, well 

 mixed, and made only moderately fiirm in the pot. A little 

 bottom-heat should be given until the roots are well through 

 the soil, when the plants should receive a final shift into seven- 

 inch pots, to which they should be confined in competitions. 

 A slight shade from strong sun and a plentiful supply of water 



