Ten species, and many varieties. Hardy or green-house tuberous-rooted perennials. Seeds. Sandy loam and vegetable mould. Species most worthy of culture are -

Cyclamen Coum

Round-leaved, spring-flowering sowbread. Reddish purple. January to March.

Cyclamen Europaeum

Round-leaved, summer-flowering sowbread. Reddish purple. Fragrant. July to September.

Cyclamen Vernum

Round-leaved winter-flowering sowbread. Like preceding. November to January.

Cyclamen Persicum

Persian sowbread. Various colours. February to May.

Cyclamen Neapolitanum

Neapolitan sowbread. Rosy. August to September.

Cyclamen Hederaefolium

Ivy-leaved sowbread. White and pink. Fragrant. March to May.

Mr. G. Gordon, of the Chiswick Gardens, gives the following excellent directions for their culture: -

"The Cyclamen is increased by cutting the largest roots in pieces, which is a bad practice, as they are very liable to rot during the first season after cutting, or while in a dormant state, unless the parts are kept very dry, a thing very injurious to the early flowering kinds.

"By Seeds, which should be sown when ripe, whether it be autumn or spring, in pans or pots well drained, and filled with a mixture of equal parts of sandy loam and leaf-mould, to which should be added a small portion of well-rotted dung. Then place the pans or pots in a cold frame or pit, kept close, if sown in the spring; but if sown in the autumn, they should be placed on the back shelf of the green-house, and kept rather dry during the winter, and gradually watered more as the spring advances.

"The autumn-sown plants will be fit for transplanting about the end of May, or beginning of June following, if properly treated; whilst those sown in the spring should not be removed from the seed-pans before the following spring; they will by that time have formed roots about the size of a hazel-nut. Prepare then some large pots or pans, well drain, and fill them with the same kind of soil as that in which these seeds were sown, and transplant the young roots from the seed pans into these, placing them about three or four inches apart according to the size of the roots. Return them to the cold pit or frame, and keep them close until they begin to grow; afterwards admit air freely by day, but keep the pit close at night, till the beginning of July, when the pots or pans should be plunged, and the plants fully exposed, both day and night; taking care, however, that the soil in the pots does not get sodden with too much rain, or become too dry. They will require no more trouble, except keeping free from weeds and slugs, till the middle of September, when they should be potted singly into small forty-eight sized or sixty pots, (according to the size of the roots,) filled with the same kind of soil as that previously used.

"In potting, the bulbs should never be entirely covered with the soil, but about one-third left exposed. When potted, they should be placed on the back shelf of the green-house, or in a cold pit, where they can be kept dry and free from frost, until they begin to grow. If they are the early flowering kinds, a few may be placed in the window of the sitting-room, and but sparingly watered until they commence growing, when they should have a more liberal supply.

"The roots will begin to bloom the second season, and may be placed on the shelves of the green-house; or if they are of those hardy kinds which flower in summer or autumn, the pots may be plunged in the open border. When done flowering they should be returned to the cold pit or frame, where the lights must be kept on during the night, in cold or wet weather; but where they can have plenty of air at all times, observing as they cease growing, that water should be withheld, and finally, the roots gradually dried. The roots, when dry, should be allowed to remain in the pots, and not be shaken out, as is frequently done; for when taken out of the soil they are almost sure to get too much dried before they are again potted. This is particularly the case with the early flowering sorts. "The proper time of the year for resting the flowering roots, entirely depends on the sorts. Cyclamen Persicum will be at rest when the Cyclamen Europaeum and Cyclamen NeapoIitanum will be in full bloom, and vice versa. The roots should be shaken from the soil, and repotted directly the least sign of vegetation is observable. But the early spring-flowering kinds may be forced earlier into bloom by potting a few of the strongest roots sooner, and placing them in a warm dry place.

They must not be excited too rapidly, or watered freely; for if they are, the leaves are almost sure to damp off during the dull winter months, and particularly those of the beautiful Cyclamen Persicum and its varieties." - Gard. Chron.