December 18, 1881. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
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Royal Society at 4.80 r.M.; Linnean Society at 8 p.m. 
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4th Sunday in Advent. 
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Christmas Eve. 
CYCLAMENS. 
[Read at the Monthly Meetinsr of the Liverpool Horticultural Association 
December Gth, 1881, by Mr. Hugh Ranger, Aigburth Nursery, Liverpool.] 
HIS genus of plants lias at different times occu¬ 
pied so much attention that I think the subject 
is almost exhausted. I do not think, however, 
that Cyclamens have received more attention 
than they deserve, either at the hands of the 
cultivator or from the pen of the scribe. Far 
from it, for it is almost impossible to over¬ 
estimate the value of these plants for decorative 
purposes, inasmuch as the several species and 
varieties are adapted for the rockery, the open border, the 
greenhouse and conservatory, and window decoration ; and, 
moreover, may be had in flower all the year round. 
It is not my intention in this short paper to minutely 
describe the species and varieties, nor to attempt to arrange 
them in their proper order, but simply to notice briefly the 
hardy and tender species in their respective classes, and to 
offer a few remarks on their cultivation. But I may here 
remark that there exists, and always has existed, some con¬ 
fusion in the nomenclature of Cyclamen. Various autho¬ 
rities have at different times taken the matter in hand, and 
have named and described several of the species and varie¬ 
ties, but not one of them has succeeded in arranging them 
in a manner which has met with general acceptance, not¬ 
withstanding that the names of Linmeus, Gerarde, Clusius, 
and Sweet were associated with the early history of Cycla¬ 
mens. Much later, about the year 1842, the Hon. A. W. 
Strangways, perceiving the confusion then existing, ven¬ 
tured to arrange them, but apparently only to his own 
satisfaction, for in the following year another admirer of 
these beautiful plants—who claimed to know very much 
about them, having studied them for many years—classified 
them according to his ideas, and some certainly do not agree 
with his classification. But we all agree in this : that 
there are both hardy and tender species, and that both are 
valuable in our gardens, and that they both amply repay for 
any care and attention the cultivator may bestow upon 
them. 
Cyclamens, then, as you all know, belong to the natural 
order Primulacea?, and are natives of Greece, the Greek 
Isles, Italy, and Switzerland, where it is said they are found 
in great abundance. I will briefly notice the hardy species 
first, which I think are the least known, and certainly the least 
popular, and I may say the least useful. I will divide them 
into t wo sections—viz., winter and spring flowering and summer 
and autumn flowering, and will commence with the winter 
and spring flowering section. These are Cyclamen C6um, 
C. ibericum, C. vernum, and the hybrids, C. Atkinsi, C. A. 
album, and C. A. roseum, their time of flowering being from 
December to the end of May. The only successful way of 
propagating Cyclamens is by seed. I say the only successful 
way, because it is possible to increase them by dividing the 
corms ; but this latter mode is, at the best, very slow and 
very unsatisfactory. The seed of this section should be 
No. 234.—VoL. IX., Third Skries. 
sown as soon as ripe, which will be about the month of June, 
in shallow pans in light rich soil, and placed in a cold frame 
shaded from the sun, or they may be put in a shaded place 
out of doors. The young plants should be allowed to remain 
in the seed-pan till about the end of July or the beginning 
of August in the following year. The young corms should 
then be turned out of the seed-pans and potted in store pots or 
pans about 1^ inch apart, covering the corms about half-inch 
below the surface of the soil. The pots or pans should then 
be placed in cold frames turned towards the north. I advise 
this position of the frames for about two months, as it affords 
partial shade without obstructing the light. Ventilate freely 
at all times, and at the end of September the frames may be 
turned round facing the south, and the light may be taken 
off on all favourable occasions ; in fact, should only be put 
on in very wet weather or in the case of frost. 
The young plants may remain in the store pots twelve 
months, by the end of which time the corm should be the 
size of an ordinary Crocus bulb. About the middle of 
August the corms should be placed singly in 3-inch pots, 
burying the corm fully half an inch below the surface of the 
soil, and the pots should then be plunged in ashes in a cold 
frame turned toward the north, as before recommended, and 
well ventilated. When the plants have fairly started into 
growth the lights may be taken off as often as the weather 
will permit, and the frames may be turned round facing the 
south about the end of September. The plants will now be 
about two years old, and if they have done fairly well will 
produce a few flowers for the first time ; and when they have 
done flowering, say the middle or end of May, the pots 
should be placed outside on a bed of ashes on the shady side 
of a wall or hedge to rest for eight or ten weeks, during 
which time they should be watered sparingly, but water 
should not be withheld altogether. About the beginning of 
August they should again be repotted and plunged in frames 
turned towards the north and treated as before advised, 
giving them pots a little larger according to the size of the 
corm. 
Treated in this way this section of Cyclamen will increase 
in size and value for many years. This is the system which 
was practised some fifteen years ago with great success at 
the Warminster Nurseries, Wilts, where these plants were 
great favourites of the late Mr. George Wheeler. I have 
frequently seen them in the frames during the months of 
January, February, and March, a complete mass of flowers. 
If planted outside on the rookery, sheltered nooks should 
be selected, and to preserve the plants it will be necessary to 
protect them with handlights. If planted in the open border 
a warm position must be chosen sheltered from the north 
and east winds. 
The summer and autumn flowering sections are repre¬ 
sented by Cyclamen europseum, C. hedersefolium, and C. 
macrophyllum. These may be treated in much the same 
manner as that recommended for the winter and spring¬ 
flowering section, and which I need not repeat, except that 
the time for sowing the seed will be about the month of 
March instead of the month of June, and the time of potting 
about February or March instead of August. By reason of 
their time of flowering this section is best adapted to outside 
culture. If planted on the rockery shaded nooks should be 
selected, or if in borders they will be found to thrive best in 
positions shaded from the mid-day sun. In addition to the 
bright-coloured flowers and ornamental foliage of these 
Cyclamens, most of them possess a very agreeable perfume. 
Having dwelt so long upon the hardy Cyclamens, I will 
now offer a few remarks on the better known and more 
popular species called C. persicum. This species appears 
to have been introduced into this country from Cyprus about 
the year 1731, and I suppose at no period since that date 
were they more popular and extensively grown than at the 
present time. I also venture to assert that they are found 
in greater perfection now than they have ever been since their 
No. 1890.— Yol. LXXr., Old Series. 
