n42 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
June 20,19f3. 
Readers’ Competition—continued. 
Cultural Points. —Never allow the young plants to be too wet 
or too dry, but strive to keep the happy medium. As soon as 
they are large enough to handle, prick off without delay into 
“ thumbs” or pans, using the compost previously recommended, 
giving the young plants a slight sprinkling, and place near the 
glass in a cold pit. Be very careful in shading at first from the 
sun ; as the plants progress, give more air and less shade. As 
soon as the roots begin to feel the sides of the pots shift the 
plants into 4gin. pots, being careful not to break the balls, and 
press the compost moderately firm. For this potting I use two 
parts loam, one leaf soil, one silver sand. Continue to grow 
the plants close to the glass, shade from hot sunshine, water 
carefully, and allow air night and day (weather permitting). 
When the roots begin to appear at the drainage holes the plants 
should be placed in their flowering pots. I generally use 8m. 
pots. For the final potting I use two parts loam, one part leaf 
mould, one part of old mortar rubble not broken too fine, and 
silver sand to keep the compost open. After potting stand the 
plants on inverted pots placed on a bed of ashes, and allow 
room between the plants for a free circulation of air. The 
best place for the plants during the winter is a frame heated 
with hot water in case of frost; last winter I kept my plants 
in a cold frame here until the end of the year. Guard against 
damp. My temperature for growing these plants is not higher 
than 50deg., and not lower than 35deg. 
The great bane 1 of the greenhouse Calceolaria is green fly, and 
the plants should be fumigated with XL All when green fly 
appears. If a good healthy growth is secured a good head of 
bloom will assuredly follow. Well-grown Calceolarias require 
little training. A few slight green stakes are necessary to 
keep them erect and neatly displayed. Give weak liquid manure 
water twice a week, which will prove very beneficial. If the 
plants are kept cool and moist- at the roots they will remain in 
full beauty for a long period, always assuming that the grower 
picks the decaying flowers off as soon as they fade. The writer 
has some 100 plants in 8in. pots which commenced blooming 
March 25th, and will continue' for another fortnight longer. 
In conclusion, a few hints worth remembering in connection 
with Calceolaria culture are : (a) Never coddle the plants, (b) 
never pot Calceolarias between the months of November and 
February, as Calceolarias make no roots in mid-winter; (c) 
always bear in mind that the successful culture of Calceolarias 
depends to a great extent on the little attentions paid to them. 
T. W. Dollery. 
The Gardens, Westwood Grange, Leeds. 
Cyclamen- 
Hardy Cyclamens. —This beautiful and useful genus contains 
both hardy and greenhouse species. The hardy ones are very 
interesting, and worthy of wider cultivation. They are dwarf 
flowering subjects, and are suitable in various positions, such 
as rockeries, shady nooks and corners, about the roots and 
under the shelter of old trees, along drives, and also make a 
fine display if grown in pots, and flowered in a cool house. Any¬ 
one who admires hardy plants could not do a better thing than 
try to naturalise these pretty plants. Many spaces which are 
now devoted to grass and weeds could be utilised in this way ; 
the same applies to specimen trees on lawns, where the hardy 
Cyclamen and many other plants would be perfectly at home. 
A plant in its wild state produces a better effect than one which 
is coddled and struggling for existence in a pot. It is within 
our power to make the now unsightly pieces of ground around 
our gardens more bright and attractive with plants such as 
C. Courn, C. Atkinsii, C. bederaefolium, C. europaeum, and C. 
neapolitanum, which are not very particular where they are 
planted, providing it is partly shaded and well drained. 
The best time to sow the seed is as soon as possible after it 
is ripe. After sowing it in pans of a light compost, cover the 
surface with a little moss, to cause a more uniform dampness ; 
when the seedlings appear this should be removed, and after 
the development of the first leaf prick off into pans, and en¬ 
courage them to grow as long as possible. With the advent of 
winter the leaves will die off, and in the following spring they 
will be large enough to take care of themselves, when they 
should be transplanted in their permanent positions or potted 
off singly, if required. Although the Cyclamens are hardy, they 
will be better for slight protection, to preserve the flowers ; this 
can be afforded by a cold pit, where they can be planted out or 
grown in pots ; when in bloom they may be removed to the 
alpine house. The soil should be a mixture of loam, leaf mould, 
and rotten cow manure made sweet by exposure to the air. If 
grown in frames, admit jRenty of air ; and water will not be 
needed in winter, or too much moisture will accumulate round 
the corms, which will have a disastrous effect. Some tubers 
emit roots both from the top and sides of the corm, so they 
should be planted fairly deep, and when established never 
remove the plants more than possible. 
Cyclamen persicum and varieties.— No plant will produce a 
better display through the winter months than the Cyclamen if 
properly grown. Sow the seed in August in well-drained pans 
of porous soil, dibbling the seed in singly, ^ in. deep and 1 in. 
apart, placing them on a shelf in the greenhouse. Keep near 
the glass throughout the whole period of growth, and in spring 
pot off singly in 60-sized pots, and grow them on in frames, 
giving air on all favourable occasions, but avoiding cold 
draughts. About the end of June the final potting should be 
made in 5 in. or 6 in. pots. A good mixture of soil is made up 
of three parts good yellow loam, one part of leaf soil, and a 
portion of mellow cow manure, with enough sand to keep it 
open. Care must be exercised in watering, and on fine after¬ 
noons gently spray them over, to encourage growth and to keep 
down the green fly fraternity. Slightly shade during the sum¬ 
mer months, and in August and September give an occasional 
dose of liquid manure. As the nights get colder remove to the 
greenhouse, where the result of past labours will be made mani¬ 
fest. 
A small quantity of seed should be sown annually, and the 
old plants discarded after the third year. When the flowering 
season is over, keep the plants fairly dry until they begin to 
show signs of making new growth, repotting them in the same 
kind of soil as before mentioned, and give similar treatment. 
The Cyclamen is subject to red spider, green fly, and thrips. 
Snonue, or dip the plants in some insecticide for the first-named, 
for the latter fumigate. Never allow these rests to remain, or 
the leaves will get curled and present an unsightly appear¬ 
ance Good culture of the Cyclamen consists of careful water¬ 
ing, free circulation of air, shade in summer, free from insect 
pests, and always prevent a sudden change in the temperature. 
Trichinium Manglesi. 
I have visited many gardens in the United Kingdom, but in 
very few have I seen this plant represented. This is a great 
pity, as, of all the beautiful everlasting flowers hailing from 
Australia this is the best. Can anyone give any reason why 
it should be practically unknown? I have grown the plant 
successfully with no more than an ordinary amount of atten¬ 
tion, and it has never failed to give me ^satisf action and to please 
everyone who sees it. The inflorescence is like a beautiful fluffy 
white ball flecked with rose-pink, the pink being supplied by the 
almost hidden flowers proper. As a decorative plant it is most 
useful, as the flowers last in a good condition for weeks, and 
their lightness and grace, together with their soft colour, allow 
of them being used in a great variety of ways. Like most ever 
lasting plants from Australia, Trichiniums delight in a sandy 
but fairly rich soil, and are always appreciative of a sunny 
position. A 4^ in. to a 6 in. pot will provide ample root room 
The best method of increasing the stock is by taking root cut 
tings at the time of potting, which should be as soon as possible 
after the plants pass out of bloom. Repotting should be dom 
every year, and when the operation is performed, the greate; 
part of the old soil should be carefully shaken off. 'Whei 
growing freely, and the pots are full of roots, give weak solu 
tions of liquid manure at intervals of a week. The wiry flowe 
stems are often quite 9 in. long. P-j 
*** The prize last week in the Readers’ Competition wa 
awarded to “J. C. ” for his article on “Hybrid Wate: 
Lilies,” page 517. 
