FLOEISTS' FLOWERS. 



335 



iluences, and gave them, but little water, and less 

 attention; or they turned them out of pots and 

 planted them in the open ground for the summer and 

 autumn. The last-named was the most merciful 

 process ; but one or the other of these methods was 

 adopted to give the plants a rest, and induce them 

 to flower the following season. We have changed 

 all this, as will appear when present cultural direc- 

 tions are set forth in detail. 



Many valuable properties can be claimed for our 

 beautiful Persian Cyclamen. It is one of the most 

 easily grown of our winter and spring favourites. It 

 has a compact habit of growth, handsomely-marked 

 leaves that are particularly attractive in autumn and 

 winter ; some of its varieties are remarkable for the 

 fragrance of their flowers ; it is persistent in bloom, 

 and of all flowering plants it is one of the best for 

 indoor decoration. We have known a specimen 

 Cyclamen remain fresh and nice in a sitting-room for 

 the space of five months, throwing up, as a matter of 

 course, a succession of flowers. The only attention 

 it demands is to have its leaves" brushed over every 

 morning with a soft camel-hair brush dipped in a 

 little lukewarm water. 



There is little difiiculty experienced in raising 

 Cyclamens from seed, but the seeds germinate slowly, 

 and somewhat irregularly. Sometimes a plant comes 

 up long after others have made a good start. The 

 best time to sow seed, in order to secure as quick and 

 regular germination as possible, is as soon as possible 

 after it is ripe. Our market growers, who grow 

 Cyclamens by the thousand for the market, generally 

 make a practice of sowing their seeds in August. 

 This gives a good start. Seed-pans are best for the 

 purpose, and they should be filled with a compost 

 made up of rich loam, a liberal admixtui-e of leaf 

 mould, and sufficient silver sand to keep it open and 

 free. The seeds should then be dibbled in about an 

 inch apart and a quarter of an inch deep imtil the 

 pan is filled. It is a good plan to cover the sm-face 

 with a thin layer of cocoa-fibre, as it serves to check 

 rapid evaporation, and keeps the surface free from the 

 growth of moss. The pans can be placed on a shelf 

 of a green-house near the glass, but care must be 

 taken to shade them from the sun. The solar 

 warmth will be sufficient to cause the seeds to ger- 

 minate ; but this is helped if they can be placed on a 

 mild bottom heat. About November the little plants 

 will be large enough to handle, and they should then 

 be pricked off into pots of similar soil, placing a 

 dozen or so plants in a 4^-inch or 48-sized pot; when 

 large enough they should further be potted singly 

 into small pots, taking care not to insert them too 

 deeply in the soil. As the plants develop they should 

 be placed in yet larger j)ots ; those of 48 size will be 

 large enough for them to flower in. In the latter 



stages of growth less sand should be mingled with 

 the soil, and at the time of potting the crown of tlie 

 corm or tuber should always appear a little above the 

 soil. The plants need to be kept as near the glass 

 as possible ; in the summer months they do best in 

 a cold frame. Close attention must be paid to the 

 plants at all stages of their development. 



Messrs. Sutton and Sons, in their "Amateur's 

 Gruide," say: " Never allow the seedlings to suffer from 

 want of water, or become a prey to aphis. To avoid the 

 latter, occasional, or it may be frequent, fumigations 

 must be resorted to. Give all the air possible 

 to promote a sturdy growth, bearing in mind that 

 fine healthy foliage is the precursor of a grand 

 bloom. In doing this, however, avoid draughts of 

 cold air. About the end of May should find the most 

 forward plants ready for shifting into 60-sized pots. 

 Fi'om the end of June to the middle of July the 

 finest plants should be ready for their final shift into 

 48 pots, in which they will flower admii-ably. The 

 growth dui'ing August and September will be vei'y 

 free, and then occasional assistance with weak manm-e- 

 water will add to the size and colour of the flowers. 

 As the evenings shorten save the plants from chills, 

 which result in deformed blossoms." 



A well-managed Cyclamen bulb at flfteen months' 

 growth from seed ought to be at least one foot in dia- 

 meter, ha\ing a dense mass of thick variegated leaves 

 standing almost erect, and the flowers not more than 

 two or three inches above the foliage. Well-deve- 

 loped flowers should be broad in the petals, about two 

 inches in length, nearly round at the ends, and having 

 a slight regular twist in each segment of the corolla. 

 Towards the production of such plants and flowers, 

 let those of our readers who may contemplate 

 growing Cyclamen persicum devote theii" best 

 energies. 



The Cyclamen is a perennial, and with due care 

 bulbs will last for ten or twelve years, and even 

 longer ; and the second and third years, with propei- 

 attention, they make splendid specimens. Probably 

 many would prefer to raise plants fx'om seed every 

 year, especially such as have little glass accommoda- 

 tion ; those who grow Cyclamens for show piu'poses, 

 or who wish to preserve certain varieties, grow their 

 plants for two, three, or more years into qtiite large 

 specimens. 



It will be observed from the foregoing remarks, 

 that from the time of sowing the seed until the time 

 of flowering, the Cyclamen is kept constantly growing 

 on. Now we have to deal with plants that have 

 flowered, and to lay down directions for treating these 

 in a proper manner. The Cyclamen is a somewhat 

 free-seeding plant ; the peculiar position of th(> 

 flowers is favourable to the most complete self-fertili- 

 sation, and the seed-pods are pretty well certain to 



