A YEAR'S GARDENING 



good soil and plenty of water in summer it well repays cultivation 

 for late summer flowering. 



CROCUS. There are many species of this bulb, but only the 

 hardy spring varieties which will thrive in any soil or situation are 

 commonly used in our gardens. The bulbs should be planted in 

 October or November (not later) some 3 inches deep, and to attain 

 perfection should be grown in rich, sandy loam. To avoid the 

 mischief often done by sparrows a few strands of black cotton should 

 be stretched over them shortly before they begin to bloom; the 

 cotton is inconspicuous among the flowers but is a terror to the birds. 

 For pot culture of named varieties it is an excellent plan to grow the 

 bulbs in well-drained, shallow boxes fiUed with rotted manure and 

 leaf mould, from which they may be separately transplanted into 

 the ornamental pot or basket as soon as they begin to bloom, thus 

 securing a successive display of flowers in the same stage of develop- 

 ment in each pot. 



CUPID'S DART. See Catananche. 



CYCLAMEN. The natural habitat of the Cyclamen is in the 

 shelter of low bushes and friendly grasses, where the plants are pro- 

 tected from stormy winds and biting frosts, and they thrive in a warm 

 sheltered nook of the Rock Garden with a south-eastern aspect. 

 Generally, however, they are treated as greenhouse perennials, for 

 which they are well adapted, as the conditions under which they 

 flourish best are uniform warmth, moist atmosphere with free 

 circulation of air, absence of draught, abundant water with free 

 drainage and shade from excessive heat. They are easily raised 

 from seed, and seed-grown plants often j^eld a better supply of bloom 

 than those grown from bulbs. Seed should be sown in October or 

 early in November, in pans filled with good loam and leaf mould with 

 a liberal addition of sand to ensure free drainage. The Cyclamen 

 has many varieties and flowers of all colours — white, red, crimson 

 and purple — and one of the hardiest sort is the round-leaved variety 

 (C. Coum), which wiU bloom in the open in early spring if kept well 

 protected with suitable litter. 



CYPRIPEDIUM (Lady's Slipper). Under this name are in- 

 dicated a group of Orchids, some of which are of much beauty and 

 many perfectly hardy. Probably the Mocassin flower (C. spectaUle) 

 is the best suited for cultivation, growing from 18 inches to z feet 

 high with one or two large white and rose-blotched flowers on each 

 stem. The English Lady's Slipper (C. calceolits) is also very good 



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