io6 PLANT CULTURE 



tightly around them with a thin piece of wood. They will start into 

 growth best when in a warm, moist house, and require little water 

 until they show signs of sending up a crop of leaves. Plants of this 

 class make their annual crop of leaves, not one after the other, as 

 is the case with Palms, but simultaneously, and at this period they 

 require close watching so that the foliage may be prevented from 

 being deformed in any way from insect attacks, cold drafts, or com- 

 ing in contact with other things during development. The tempera- 

 ture should be higher at this period than at any other. When roots 

 are formed and a sufficient time has elapsed after the development 

 of the fronds, the plants may be given larger pots. A minimum 

 temperature of 50 degrees will suffice during Winter. 



Propagation. They are usually propagated by seeds. Sow in 

 the bench or in shallow boxes and cover lightly with sand. After 

 the seeds have germinated, pot in light, moderately rich soil. 



CYCLAMEN. The commercial Cyclamens are varieties of 

 C. persicum. The Giganteum strains produce larger flowers than 

 the type, but fewer of them. Crested forms variously called Butter- 

 fly hybrids and Rococo varieties. 



Culture. The soil should consist of loam mixed with lesser 

 quantities of old manure and leaf mold; a little sand and crushed 

 charcoal will help to keep the mass in a porous condition. In pot- 

 ting, the corm, or swollen stem, may be half buried in the soil; care- 

 ful drainage is necessary. As soon as there is danger from frost the 

 plants are removed indoors; and to give good, stiff stalks to the 

 flowers full light and an abundance of air should be afforded on all 

 favorable occasions. 



Propagation. Cyclamen seeds, to insure even germinating, 

 should be sown as soon as convenient after ripening. The seeds 

 ripen from April to June. The sowing season is from September to 

 the beginning of December, and the seeds, between the harvesting 

 and sowing periods, should be kept in an open-mouthed bottle, 

 mixed with dry sand. Although the seed may be held for years it 

 loses in vitality the longer it is kept. To have plants in bloom by 

 Christmas the seedlings will consume from 12 to 14 months in com- 

 pleting their growth, and during that period they should never be 

 allowed to rest by withholding water, or be subjected to other con- 

 ditions unfavorable to continuous growth. The seed should be sown 

 in shallow pans or boxes, in light, sandy soil, and covered to very 

 little more than their own depth with finely sifted soil and sphagnum, 

 two parts of the former to one of the latter. The swollen root-stock 



