July 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
219 
cultivation at all. The plants to which I allude are 
the Ivy-leaved Cyclamen, Cyclamen hederifolium (C. 
europanm of Sir J. Smith and others), and the Cos 
Cyclamen, C. coum. 
I need not tell you, hut it may he necessary that I 
should state, for the information of some of your 
readers, that C. hederifolium hlooms in August, when 
most other plants are out of blossom ; the flower, if 
not showy, is very elegant; the foliage, which appears 
after the flowers, is also a great recommendation to 
this plant, for the form of the leaves is very hand¬ 
some, they are beautifully marked, and preserve 
their freshness during the autumn and winter, and 
early part of the spring; that is to say from Septem¬ 
ber to April or the beginning of May. The leaves 
of the Cyclamen coum also appear in the autumn, 
and, like those of C. lederifolium, retain their fresh¬ 
ness through the winter; they are also very hand¬ 
some; the upper surface is of a bright green, and 
the under surface is tinged with red. The flowers 
appear early in the spring, or, rather, in the latter 
part of the winter, when few plants are in blossom 
except the snowdrop and the winter aconite ( Eranthis 
hy emails). If I remember rightly, C. coum was in 
bloom in my garden in January last. 
Botli of these plants are raised from seed as easily 
as mustard or cress, provided the seeds are sown as 
soon as they are ripe and thoroughly dry. I will 
now explain what I mean by saying that these plants 
need no cultivation. I planted, some years ago, a few 
plants of both these species of Cyclamen in a bed 
shaded by a small Cedar of Lebanon, where they 
have sown themselves in the greatest profusion; a 
considerable part of the bed is literally paved with 
the tubers of C. hederifolium, and C. coum is not 
much less abundant. The seeds of C. coum, and 
perhaps also those of C. hederifolium, seem to germi¬ 
nate in the sear and fallen leaves of the cedar, and 
afterwards to strike root in the ground; but I find 
that these plants increase almost as rapidly in a bed 
in which I have a few American plants. I mention 
this circumstance because it appears to me that if 
these plants had no other qualities to recommend 
them, they are valuable on account of their growing 
and thriving under the shade and drip of trees ; in¬ 
deed, such a situation seems to be peculiarly favour¬ 
able to them, as it is to many others, viz., those 
which grow naturally in woods and thickets. I 
believe that those parts of a garden which are over¬ 
shadowed by trees are often considered as lost ground, 
yet I think that, if a proper selection of plants^ were 
made, a very flourishing and gay flower-garden might 
be formed under the trees of a very thickly planted 
orchard. I will mention a few plants which, besides 
the cyclamens, I have found by experience to be well 
suited to such situations. The common primrose, 
snowdrop, winter aconite, wood anemone, the yellow 
anemone ( Anemone ranunculoides), the various species 
of convallaria, as the lily of the valley (C. maialis), 
and Solomon’s seal, C. polygonaturn, C. multijlora, 
C. bifolia, «&c.; several of the gerania, as Geranium 
sylvaticum, &c. ; tutsan ( Hypericum androscemum), 
Hypericum calycinum, and probably several other 
Iiyperica; nettle-leaved bell-flower ( Campanula tra- 
chelium ) ; fetid gladwyn, Iris feetidissima; that very 
beautiful and curious plant the lady’s slipper ( Cypri- 
pedium calceolus) —this plant is, however, I believe, 
rather scarce, and will not thrive in every kind of 
soil; to these may be added several of the ferns. 
To the few plants which I have here mentioned, the 
greater part of which are very common and not very 
showy, might bo added a multitude of others, many 
of which are very beautiful. 
May I be allowed to suggest that a list of hand¬ 
some British and foreign plants, which would grow 
well under trees, might be acceptable to some of your 
readers, and that perhaps Mr. Appleby, or some 
other of your contributors or correspondents, would 
have the kindness to furnish us with such a list. 
You are, I doubt not, aware that Cyclamen hederi¬ 
folium is by some considered to be a British plant; 
Sir James Smith has given it a place in his Flora 
Britannica, and mentions one habitat, viz., Bram- 
field, in Suffolk, but expresses a doubt of its being a 
genuine native. I will add that a gentleman, with 
whom you arc perhaps personally acquainted, but 
whom I conclude you know by name, Mr. Masters, a 
most respectable and ingenious cultivator at Canter¬ 
bury, informed me many years ago that Cyclamen 
hederifolium of every shade of colour, from a deep 
crimson to a pure white, had been found growing in 
a “ shave ” or “ shaw,” i.e. a small wood, near Maid¬ 
stone, for the length of a quarter of a mile. Whether 
it is still to be found in that habitat I do not know; 
I fear not, for Mr. Masters at the same time told me 
that some of the London gardeners had discovered 
the treasure, and that one of them had carried away 
a bushel of the tubers. — Rev. Edward Simons, 
Ovington Rectory, Norfolk. 
EXTRACTS EROM CORRESPONDENCE. 
Village Horticultural Shows. —As a proof that 
what I stated some time back respecting the import¬ 
ance of village horticultural societies is correct, I 
beg to hand you a report of a show held in a small 
village in the north of England. You will see that 
there were some good varieties of tulips exhibited, as 
well as other things.* Previous to some eight or 
ten years since, the village alluded to was one of the 
most wicked places that could be found. It was no 
uncommon sight to see, on leaving the house of 
God, which was situated on a “ green,” a number of 
the most depraved of men collected round a cock¬ 
fight, dog-fight, or even a man-fight, giving utterance 
to the most horrid imprecations and blasphemy. 
Now, some of those men who once were at the head 
of all descriptions of vice, are the principal exhibi¬ 
tors, and are remarkable for their Christian bearing 
and industrial habits. Pieces of ground, which then 
* Etal Horticultural Spring Show. —The anniversary of 
her Majesty’s birthday was celebrated as usual at Etal, on Thursday 
the 24th May, by hoisting the royal standard in the morning, and 
tiring a royai salute of twenty-one guns from the Castle at twelve 
o’clock; and in the evening a dance took place on the village green, 
which was kept up by the villagers and others in a spirited manner 
until nearly eleven at night. It was intended to have held the annnal 
show of tulips, Sec., on the same occasion, as was done last year ; but 
the backwardness of the season, owing to the recent ungenial wea¬ 
ther, rendered it necessary to postpone it until Tuesday the 29 th, on 
the afternoon of which day the show took place. Mr. Robert Green¬ 
field, gardener to Richard Craster Askew, Esq., Pallinsburn ; Mr. 
Henry Waite, gardener to Thomas Friar, Esq., Grindon Ridge; Mr. 
John Ferrier, gardener to George Carr, Esq., Greenlawwalls; and 
Mr. William Davidson, gardener, Grindon, officiated as judges; and 
their awards, which gave general satisfaction, and were read over to 
the public in the show room shortly after six o’clock by Mr. Paxton, 
the acting manager, were severally as follows :—For the best six 
tulips, with white grounds, (for Lady Frederick Fitzclarence’s prizes), 
to Mr. John Sutherland, for Lady Crewe, Ely’s Prince Albert, Prin¬ 
cess Sophia of Gloucester, Rose, Malvina, Vanquisher, and Vesuvius. 
For the best six tulips, yellow grounds, (for prizes given by the Hon. 
Miss Fitzelarence), to John Sutherland, for Dickson’s Duke of De¬ 
vonshire, Polydora, Carter’s Leopold, Strong’s Benjamin, Waterloo, 
and Lawrence’s Vesuvius. Best six tulips, of sorts, (for Mrs. Greg- 
son of Lowlynn’s prizes), to David Young, for Matilda, Carlo Dolce, 
Strong’s Benjamin, Duke of Wellington, Flora, and Marcellus. 
There were many other prizes for ranunculuses, anemones, pansies, 
geraniums, window plants, nosegays, and kitchen-garden vegetables. 
