270 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



in the case of the young plants, progress will be rapid and highly 

 satisfactory. Instead of old plants being later in flowering than 

 the younger ones, they are, if treated as I have advised, more 

 likely to be earlier, plenty of them with me having their buds 

 very prominent at the present time. These old plants should 

 have more liquid manure than the youngsters, and of course 

 require more room in their flowering quarters. Seed-saving has 

 a weakening effect upon the young corms, and also interferes 

 with their preparation for flowering again. 



Allusion has already been made to the injurious effects 

 aphides have upon Cyclamen, and the remedy for them answers 

 equally well for thrips. Eel-worms sometimes attack the roots 

 of Cyclamen, causing them to swell abnormally, and having the 

 effect of completely paralysing their action. For this reason the 

 pans containing the seed, and the young plants later on, ought 

 never to be placed in near proximity to cucumbers, tomatos, or 

 other plants, the roots of which are very liable to be infested by 

 this nematode. The remedy is Little's Soluble Phenyl diluted 

 freely, a wineglassful, or 2 oz. as measured by an 8-oz. medicine 

 bottle, proving sufficient for three gallons of water. This applied 

 occasionally instead of clear water, proves destructive to the eel- 

 worm, and stimulates rather than retards the growth of the plants. 



Varieties of Cyclamen Persicum. — This paper would not 

 be complete without a brief allusion to the good work florists 

 have done in the direction of improving the strains of Cyclamen. 

 Most of us remember how poor comparatively the flowers of the 

 strains first distributed were (Fig. Gl), and last season my memory 

 was refreshed by a sight in Messrs. Sutton & Sons' Reading 

 Nurseries of a batch of C. persicum, which had been imported 

 by that famous firm direct from Persia. Doubtless these suffered 

 by contrast with the grand varieties flowering alongside of them, 

 for though well-grown and full of flower they appeared quite insig- 

 nificant. By stages our strains have gradually arrived at perfection 

 surely (Fig. 62). It appears, however, that we are soon to have 

 feathered or plumed varieties, and some of our enthusiasts will not 

 be happy till we have monstrosities in the shape of doubled flowers. 



Not only are the modern flowers very much larger than the 

 type and the colours beautifully varied, but the plants are also 

 much stronger in constitution than of old, and the foliage so 

 handsome that the present-day Cyclamen might well be culti- 

 vated for the beauty of their leaves alone. 



