•CYCLAMEN 



PBIMBOSE OBDEB 



CYCLAMEN 627 



in grassy places by woodland walks &c., 

 where there is a free circulation of air. 

 Where the natural conditions cannot be 

 secured, they should be imitated as closely 

 as possible by selecting a ' northern or 

 north-west aspect, tod making banks or 

 slopes of well-drained soil consisting of 

 rich sandy loam with a little peat or leaf- 

 soil and a Uttle mortar rubbish or pieces 

 of limestone added. If there are no 

 overhanging trees to give protection in 

 severe winters, a covering of dry leaves 

 will be sufficient as a rule. 



The best time for planting the corms 

 is when they are at rest, say fcom June to 

 November, according as they flower in 

 the autumn or spring. To make doubly 

 «ure as to drainage, sand may be placed 

 beneath and around the corms, the tops 

 of which should not be lower than the 

 surface of the soil. Each winter the soil 

 around the plants may have a mulching 

 or covering of leaves, or the old manure 

 from a spent mushroom bed. This will 

 serve the double purpose of manuring and 

 keeping the frost away from the corms. 



The best and most natural method of 

 increasing hardy Cyclamens is fcom seed. 

 "When fresh and thoroughly ripe they 

 sprout in a few weeks in light sandy soil 

 in a cold frame, or quicker in gentle heat. 

 Where the plants flourish seedlings of the 

 more vigorous kinds will often appear 

 naturally. The first year it is better to 

 grow the plants on in pots, and winter 

 them in cold frames, after which they 

 may be planted out the following season 

 to estabUsh themselves in their permanent 

 quarters. 



The corms may also be cut into pieces, 

 €aeh piece having at least one ' eye ' or 

 bud in it. The leaves with a small por- 

 tion of the corm attached may also be 

 inserted as cuttings in sandy peat under 

 a bell-glass, and kept close and moist 

 until rooted. These methods of propaga- 

 tion, however, are scarcely worth while, 

 except when any particular species or 

 variety cannot be raised from seeds. 



The beautiful and well-known Persian 

 Cyclamen (0. persiaimi) grown so much 

 for greenhouse and conservatory decora- 

 tion requires somewhat different and 

 special treatment to bring it to perfection. 



Although not a large group, there are 

 few genera which exhibit so much con- 

 fusion in regard to naming as Cyclamens. 

 Being confined for the most part to 

 Central Europe, the Mediterranean region. 



and W. Asia, this is the more remarkable, 

 and the only conclusion to arrive at is 

 that the same species varies a good deal 

 according to its geographical position. 

 The following list will be found to con- 

 tain those best known in cultivation. 



C. africanum (C autumnale ; C. ro- 

 hustum). — Found plentifully in the sandy 

 oak woods of Algeria and Tunis, and 

 closely allied to C. neapoUtanuin. Corms 

 4-8 in. in diameter, black, flat, irregular, 

 producing roots from all parts. Leaves 

 6-8 in. broad and long, ovate or sinuate, 

 serrate, sometimes angled, beautifully 

 marbled with white above, purplish 

 beneath, on stalks 8-12 in. long. Flowers 

 in October and November, 1 in. or more 

 long, sweet-scented, pale or deep rose, 

 with a purple spot at the base of each 

 auricled petal. White-flowered forms 

 occasionally appear. 



Culture Sc. as above. If grown in 

 the open this species may require slight 

 protection with dry leaves in severe win- 

 ters in northern parts of the country. 



C. alpinum. — A dwarf plant closely 

 allied to O. Coum, recently discovered at 

 high elevations on Mt. Taurus in Asia 

 Minor. Leaves faintly marbled. Flowers 

 pink in the type, but white forms also exist. 



Culture Sc. as above. 



C. Atkinsi (C hyhridum). — A hybrid 

 between C. Coum and C. ibericum, and 

 closely resembUng the latter, but with 

 larger leaves, sometimes slightly marbled 

 with white above. Flowers in spring, 

 white, rose, lilac, red, purple &c. 



Culture dc. as above. 



C. cilicicum. — ^A pretty species about 

 4 in. high, native of the Cilician moun- 

 tains and the pine forests of Asia Minor. 

 Leaves roundish, entire, with close basal 

 lobes, purple beneath, developed with the 

 flowers. Flowers from September to 

 November, pale rose or pure white, 

 strongly scented ; petals lance-shaped 

 lobed at the base and blotched with 

 purple. 



Culture dc. as above. 



C. Coum (C caucasicmn ; C. elegans ; 

 C. hyemale ; G. vernale dc.) — A native of 

 the Caucasus, Asia Minor, Greece, Turkey 

 &c., and gi'owing only about 3 in. high. 

 Corm small, roundish, or flattened, 1-2 in. 

 in diameter. Leaves contemporary with 

 the flowers, roundish, slightly serrate or 

 entire, dark green above, never marbled; 



s s2 



