77 

 THE CULTIVATION OF THE CHINESE PRIMROSE. 



BY ME. THOMAS LATTER, NURSERYMAN, OF BRAMFORD. 



This very useful and interesting winter flower has been a great favourite of mine for 

 many years. To keep up a good succession of bloom from November till May, I sow- 

 in the first week in April, and the last in May, using a light soil, and a close warm 

 frame, till showing the rough leaf; then harden them off by degrees, and prick them 

 out into pans filled with soil composed of equal parts of decayed leaf-mould, and 

 silver-sand. In a few weeks they will be large enough to shift into small GO-size pots, 

 in fresh soil, as above, which place in a frame, and shade from the mid-day sun, 

 giving an abundance of air, in order to keep the plants stocky and robust. A common 

 frame, in a shady sheltered situation, is the best place for the summer months. In 

 very hot weather, shade all day, and take off the lights all night. As they advance, 

 pot on, adding a little more substance to the soil, with turfy loam and cow-dung, 

 being very particular to give plenty of water, and plenty of drainage, but avoid heavy 

 rains. About September, the first lot re-potted will now have arrived at that stage 

 when it will be necessary to give them their final shift into 24 or 16-size pots — that 

 is, according to the size of the plants — observing to pick out every blossom then 

 appearing. 



To prepare the soil for this shift, I recommend — one part turfy loam, one rotten 

 cow-dung, two leaf-mould, two silver-sand ; remembering to give plenty of drainage, 

 as before. Do not plant deep ; but, in order to keep the plants steady, insert three 

 pegs round the stem. After a few days, they should have all the light and air you 

 can give them, till October, when they should be removed to a shelf in the greenhouse 

 or conservatory, as near the glass as possible, watering them once a week, when, 

 — about November — they will again be showing bloom. Manure-water, composed of 

 sheeps'-dung, cow-dung, and soot, stirred well for a week; when clear, use sparingly once 

 a week. The May-sown plants I have generally found produce the best flowers, having 

 heads of bloom eighteen inches in height, and the same in diameter, each semi-double 

 'bloom upwards of two inches in diameter, of great substance, and bright distinct 

 tcolours. I need not say they have been seen every season by many of our best judges, 

 ;and highly spoken of ; or that they have, for many years, been in the hands of Mr. 

 Wild, of Ipswich, who is now sending out the true stock, carefully saved by myself, 

 from the plants selected by him this spring. 



NOVEL CONTINENTAL FRUIT AND VEGETABLES TO BE 

 IMPORTED INTO ENGLAND. 



Although Covent Garden Market may be justly considered as one of the wonders of 

 modern skill, where produce of every season is to be seen in every season, yet there are a 

 few fruits and vegetables cultivated on the Continent which deserve the attention of the 

 English gardener. The first and most important are the Teltauer Rubahen (the Teltauer 

 turnip ) They are of exquisite flavour, so much so that Goethe had them every winter 

 en his table, sent to him from Berlin; they are not larger than a large radish, but more 

 elongated. They grow in the sandy and peaty soil of the Marck, which is to be taken 

 into account — A fruit unknown here is the Vienna Cardinal ApJ el (the Cardinal apple.) 

 It is one of the latest of its sort ripening, and of a dark blue colour, whence its name is 

 derived. Besides this striking colour, which becomes still more apparent in peeling them, 

 they are a juicy sort of apple, of pleasant flavour. — The third sort of vegetable produce 

 not general known in this country is the Forellen Salat (the trout salad), which comes 

 early to the markets in Dresden, &c. It is a head salad of smaller size, but very crisp 

 and delicate. Its name is derived from the leaves being profusely marked by spots of a 

 ■dark red colour, resembling those on the body of a trout. We think that any gardener 

 introducing any of the above would derive advantage therefrom — Illustrated Inventor. 



