534 



CASSELL'iS POPULAR GARDEXIXG. 



combs, but the dwarfer the plants are, the more are 

 they valued when they are placed on the exhibition 

 table. Growers have hit upon the following plan to 

 shorten their plants : — A\^hen the combs are fully 

 developed, the stems are cut through four inches or 

 so below the comb, put into smaller pots of soil, and 

 struck as cuttings in a brisk bottom heat. They 

 scon take root, and the combs are not in the least 

 injured. The result is large, symmetrical, richly- 

 coloured inflorescence, on a dwarf stem, with healthy 

 leaves close down to the soil. 



Those who may hesitate to cut their plants through 

 a few inches below the combs, may attain the same 

 end, that of extreme dwarfness, by bending the 

 plants down in the potting till the combs almost 

 touch the ground. Subjected to a moist atmosphere 

 and a high temperature, the stems emit roots which 

 iidd greatly to the size and strengtli of the combs. 



Red spider is apt to attack the Cockscomb, and if 

 it makes headway the leaves become disfigm-ed, tm-n 

 rusty, and spoil the appearance of the specimen. A 

 moist heat and requisite care wiU keep this pest at 

 bay, and by keeping the plants near the glass they 

 do not become drawn. 



Any seeds they produce appear in the form of tiny 

 scales on the sides of the combs near their base. The 

 •finer the quality of the strain the more sparingly, as 

 a rule, do they produce seeds. 



There is a section of tall-growing Celosias termed 

 C. pyraniidalis, that was introduced from Japanese 

 gardens some years ago. They grow like upright 

 rshrubs, producing side branches as well as main shoots, 

 Avhich are surmounted by large feathery inflorescences 

 partaking somewhat of the character of the Cocks- 

 comb. There are various colours — crimson, scarlet, 

 purple, yellow, golden, &c. The culture of these is 

 similar to that of the Cockscomb, excepting that it is 

 not necessary either to starve or dwarf the plants. 

 The freer the growth, the more stately plants do they 

 make — splendid tall pyramid bushes, their handsome 

 feathery inflorescences being most useful In the con- 

 servatory during the autumn season. 



Cyclamen. — A genus belonging to the natural 

 order of Fri»udaccce, or Primroses. They are plants 

 of great beauty and of very distinct characters. 

 The root-stock is a corm (that is, the stem is reduced 

 to a swollen bulb-like mass, but is entirely different 

 from a bulb, which is made up of distinct layers 

 of scales), and after flowering the leaves decay and 

 die away, and the plants lie dormant for several 

 months. 



There are several species of Cyclamen natives of 

 the southern parts of Europe, which are extremely 

 handsome border plants. Pigs are scarcely ever 

 credited with having a love of the beautiful in their 



composition, and yet they are extremely fond 

 Cyclamens. In Italy the plant is called " Pane 

 Porcine," on account of the diligence whi(;h swine 

 exhibit in the search after the roots, and in spite 

 of their hot and bitter flavour they will devour them 

 in great numbers. Italian pigs, it would seem, are 

 not singular in their tastes, for their French relatives 

 exhibit the same partiality for the roots of these 

 beautiful plants, which in that country are known 

 by the name of " Pain de Porceau," but in English 

 they are called " Sow-bread." 



It is as long ago as 1731 that the beautiful C. 

 JPersician was introduced to this country from 

 Cyprus. This is the type fi-om which have been 

 origiuated the charming varieties now so plentiful 

 in autumn, winter, and early spring. We can 

 quite imagine that for many years the new intro- 

 duction was grown as an ordinary green-house 

 plant, no one apparently caring much about it, and 

 probably preference was given to the hardy types, 

 such as C. £uropceum, which is a native of Britain, 

 and othei-s introduced from abroad. C. Europmim 

 grows also abundantly in the South of Europe, in 

 elevated positions, and particularly in Sicily, where 

 the swine eat the root- stalks with great relish, hence 

 its common name, Sow-brcad. Eor beauty C. Feraicum 

 is far ahead of any other species ; and between thirty 

 and forty years ago, or even longer, florists turned 

 their attention to this charming plant, and began to 

 improve it by obtaining seed, which it produces with 

 some fi-eedom; end they gradually laid the founda- 

 tion of the splendid large-flowering varieties w^e see 

 in the present day. And not only have the varieties 

 greatly improved, but a much better system of culture 

 has been originated ; and now, instead of, as in the 

 old times, having somewhat spare plants bearing a 

 few flowers in March, April, and May, our florists 

 have plants of robust, healthy gTOwth, in bloom in 

 November and December, and they continue to 

 flow^er until April and May. It is remarkable, not 

 only how man}- flowers a bulb of Cyclamen, of an 

 age that will produce bloom, will furnish, but that it 

 flowers successively, and for a long time, while the 

 individual blooms are lasting. 



The old system of growing the Cyclamen did not 

 develop its beauties, and the plant did not find 

 much favour with gardeners or amateurs. Latterly, 

 however, their requirements have become better 

 imderstood, and the size and colour of their flowers 

 have been so much improved by cross-breeding, that 

 they have become extremely popular. 



So imperfectly did the past generation of gardeners 

 understand the culture of the Cyclamen, that when 

 these plants went out of flower they frequently stood 

 them out in the open, in the full blaze of the summer 

 sun and exposed to the action of all drying in- 



