I am glad to see an increasing interest in the growing of cyclamens. A great many persons have asked me what is the best sort to grow, and in reply I would say the Persicum and its varieties are my favorites. A good way to get an assortment is to raise them from seed. Of course the exact colors cannot be reproduced from seed; a packet of Persicum album will not produce all whites, neither will roseum all rose col6r. As good a plan as any is to get a packet of mixed seeds, from which will be had a variety to suit everyone. With this I mail you a sample of blooms produced from plants from a mixed packet of seeds. They are mostly from young plants blooming for the first time. No. 1 are from Persicum, No. 2 from giganteum, and No. 3 from old plants. The young plants were watered with manure water but once. Just how long a plant will live I cannot say. In my collection are some seven years old that look good for as many more years. I write this as a general answer to inquiries received respecting this plant, and would have done it sooner, but was waiting till I could send you blooms from my young plants.

Gardener to James McCreery, Inwood-on-the-Hudson, New York.

[The blooms were remarkably fine. Indeed we have never seen such large and handsome flowers before. - Ed. G. M.J