438 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
September 8. 
the eating. My poultry left me a week ago. I ask where 
! are they ? and echo answers, * where.' 
“ The evil speaks for itself, more especially now, when 
i old birds are more or less weak from moult, and require 
more care. I hope you, or some of your many readers, 
may be able, not only to point out, hut to insist on, a 
better system. As it is, great discontent on this point 
prevails, and I am quite sure, that unless a change 
takes place, the most persuasive Secretaries may find 
that exhibitors have become ‘ old soldiers,' and are not 
. to be tempted into the boat, however civilly their 
tempters, the boatmen, may cry out— 
Over! Over!” 
Part of the stock of fowls belonging to T. H. Potts, 
Esq., of Kingswood Lodge, near Croydon, were sold by 
auction by Mr. Strafford on the last day of August, and 
realised prices which are evidence of no depreciation of 
the value of this description of live stock. There were 
130 lots sold, and the gross sum paid for them was 
<£301 11s. 
In Shanghaes, Lot 21, buff cockerel, purchased of 
Captain Snell, £5 10s. Lot 27, Mr. Andrews’ well- 
known imported hen, weight, when in condition, 11 lbs., 
£17 17s. Lot 30, silver cinnamon hen, Annie, bred by 
Mr. George, and a taker of many prizes, £18 18s. 
Lot 31, buff cock, Orson, also a sharer in several prizes, 
£22 Is. Lot 32, silver cinnamon hen, match bird to 
Lot 30, £IG 10s. The cockerels and pullets of any 
merit fetched prices varying between one and four 
pounds. In Golden Polands, the cock sold for two 
guineas, and the best hen for £1. In Silver Polands, 
the cock sold for £1 7s., and the best hen for £1. In 
Spanish Fowls, the cock (Lot 121) sold for £5 15s,, and 
the best hen (Lot 122) for £3 5s. 
THE PERSIAN CYCLAMEN. 
The rapid decline of the season at this period forcibly 
reminds plantsmen, that although the mind has been 
almost satiated, at times, with rich colours through the 
summer months, both in-doors and out, yet that a 
dormant season awaits them, when every little addition 
to the stock of winter-flowering plants will be hailed 
with delight. 
Our readers are aware that most good gardeners cul¬ 
tivate a distinct section of winter-flowering things, and 
that such require special treatment; and amongst these 
our present subject, the Cyclamen Persicum, introduced, 
according to “ our Dictionary,” from Cyprus, in 1731. 
Most of our friends are acquainted with this charm-' 
ing flower, but, for all this, I will venture to affirm, that 
not one in a score of them have the most remote idea 
of the beauty this plant can be made to attain under 
the very highest order of culture. 
To point to its merits were almost superfluous—its 
neat and dressy habit; the singularity and special cha¬ 
racter of its foliage; its long period of blooming, and 
that, too, in the dull season; together with its delicious 
fragrance; all conspire to ensure it a welcome where 
highly cultivated. As to its fragrance, and style of 
j blossom, these will ever secure it a place in the neat 
bouquet; and I wonder much that it is not much more 
extensively cultivated for the supply of our markets. 
I think it was the late Mr. Willmot who first dis¬ 
covered, about twenty-four years since, that its previous 
culture had been very imperfectly understood; that it 
had been regarded too much in the light of an ordinary 
bulb ; and that it by no means required so decided a 
rest as most of that portion of the vegetable world. In 
those days, they might be seen in April or May almost 
devoured by aphides, potted away out of sight on 
some neglectled shelf, the foliage perishing prematurely 
through sheer neglect. This plant is peculiarly liable 
to the attacks of the aphis, or plant louse, and fumi¬ 
gation should occasionally be resorted to, especially 
whilst the new foliage is starting, and before the blos¬ 
soms expand. 
The Persian Cyclamen is readily produced from seed; 
but it must be borne in mind, that although the seed is 
saved from highly-scented kinds, not all the produce 
will be equally fragrant. 
To begin at the beginning, I must beg to detail the 
practice of raising and nurturing seedlings. The seed 
of the Cyclamen is a most curious production; imme¬ 
diately on the heels of flowering, the seed-stalk with¬ 
draws itself from public gaze, and lies half - coiled, 
snugly around, or by the side of the crown or corm, as 
the root is called. Here they* lie in little round balls, 
somewhat like Potato-apples, only smaller, for many 
weeks, when the sly little rogues will all of a sudden 
burst, and sow themselves, if not watched closely. The 
moment the seed-balls are about to burst they must 
be picked, and also sown, for there is no occasion for 
much ceremony, except that it will be "well to let them 
lie a few days, in order that they may burst their bonds 
by a natural process. Their seeds will be ripe, usually, 
in April or May, and a seed-pan should be most care¬ 
fully preserved for them, as they will not benefit by 
transplanting during the first summer. 
The Cyclamen enjoys much fibrous, vegetable matter, 
containing a liberal amount of sand; and if I were to 
pick a compost for them, it would be fibrous and sandy 
heath soil, a year old, chopped to atoms, two parts ; leaf 
mould and manurial matters from old hotbed linings, 
one part; and a free and light sandy-loam turf, one part; 
the latter a year old, and chopped very fine, as the 
heath soil, but not riddled. On this heap I would 
throw a little of my charred rubbish, and add silver 
sand in proportion to the requirements of the compost. 
But, as Mr. Fish well observed, the other day, chopped 
turf from our road sides, such as may be often found, 
containing much vegetable remains, and the debris of 
the road, would, perhaps, grow them equally well, and 
would, assuredly, in the main, prove a safe compost. 
The seed-pan I prepare as follows:—One seven inches 
deep, by about nine in diameter, is cleverly crocked at 
the bottom, which has several holes. Charcoal, in about 
half-inch lumps, is strewed over the crocks in a half- 
negligent way, and a mixture of broken lumps of sandy 
heath soil and leaf mould, not half-decayed, covers the 
former drainage to the depth of an inch or so. Over 
this is placed the compost, which is riddled tolerably 
fine, and composed as suggested for general culture. 
The whole is pressed down tolerably firm, so as not to 
settle any, and the soil being rather dry bears pressing. 
The seed is carefully covered, and pressed close, the 
seeds just out of sight, and then the surface is covered 
with sphagnum moss, to supersede the necessity of 
much watering, and of capricious alterations of drought. 
The pan is now placed in a warm corner of a shelf over 
some flue or pipes, and will require light sprinklings 
about twice a week. The young plants will begin to 
appear in about five weeks, and the sphagnum must be 
removed immediately. Nothing can be done during the 
first summer’s growth, but to grow them clean, and to 
