306 
THE FLORIST. 
lier ; so that those who possess a few bulbs may enjoy the company 
of this queen of the Cyprean isle from Christmas until April; and 
sure I am no one will ever be tired of her acquaintance. 
Those who are in possession of a few bulbs should, when they 
are in flower, select only those which are sweet-scented (for there 
are some which have no scent at all) ; these should be placed on a 
shelf in the greenhouse, where they can have plenty of air ; they 
will there produce abundance of seed, which, when sufficiently ripe, 
should be sown as soon as it is gathered in seed-pots or pans, well 
drained, and filled with equal parts of good loam, sandy peat, and 
leaf-mould, or well decomposed dung. The seed should be distri¬ 
buted thinly and evenly over the pan, slightly covered with the 
mould, and kept moderately damp. Early in the autumn the plants 
will begin to shew themselves ; let them remain in the seed-pans 
until the beginning of May following, when a bed should be pre¬ 
pared for their reception, where there is sufficient bulbs to fill it, in 
the following manner:—Take a layer of well-rotted dung three or 
four inches deep, the size the bed is intended to be; upon this place, 
well incorporated together, equal parts of good loam, sandy peat, and 
leaf-mould, sufficient to make a bed at least nine inches deep. Now 
turn the plants out of the seed-pans, carefully preserving the points 
of the roots ; for, like all other bulbs, the principal portion of their 
nourishment is taken up by their points or spongioles; if they are 
injured or cut off, the plant will make no progress until it has thrown 
out more roots from the base of the bulb. Then let them be planted 
from four to six inches apart, according to the size of the bulb. Let 
them be protected by a frame or hand-lights, give plenty of air, and, 
as the w r arm weather advances, take the lights away altogether. They 
will then need no other care than weeding and watering as may be 
required. 
Early in September they should be taken up carefully, and potted 
into pots varying according to the size of the plants; the smaller 
ones in 60 -sized pots, the larger ones in 48 ; put them in a close 
frame for about a week, giving a little air occasionally, until they 
have taken hold of the mould, which should be similar in quality tc 
that mentioned above, with the addition of one-third well decomposer’ 
dung and a little silver sand. At the general time of housing green 
house plants, give them a good airy position in the greenhouse, and ir 
the following spring most of them will produce a tolerably good show 
of flowers. Those wdio have not the convenience of a greenhouse 
may keep them in a cold frame during the winter months, removing 
them when shewing flower into the drawing-room or parlour as they 
are wanted; of course they will not bloom so early as those in the 
greenhouse, but it is better to have them late than not at all. 
It is a question amongst cultivators whether the Cyclamen should 
be subjected to the drying system or not; my decided opinion is, 
that it should not. Many a fine bulb is lost by so doing; neither 
do they throw up so many, nor such fine blooms as those that have 
not been forced to rest against their will as soon as they have done 
flowering. Nor can we wonder that such should be the case, seeing 
