APRIL. 103 



CULTIVATION OF THE CHINESE PRIMROSE. 



The Chinese Primrose {Primula sinensis, or prccnitens) is a common 

 plant, yet perhaps hardly so much prized, or so well cultivated, asi t 

 deserves to be ; for though wanting the gaiety and variety of colour 

 of the Pelargonium and other popular favourites, it is, when well 

 grown, certainly handsome ; but its principal value is derived from its 

 blooming in winter, when flowers are scarce ; and few are so useful 

 for decorating the drawing-room or conservatory at that season, 

 either singly, or in combination with other winter-flowering or forced 

 plants. 



It requires the simplest treatment ; and perhaps the following 

 account of a successful method of cultivation may be found useful to 

 amateurs or others who have not hitherto paid much attention to it. 

 Seeds may be sown in succession in May, June, and July, to furnish 

 a supply throughout the winter and spring. Let them be sown in 

 light sandy soil, and placed in a moderate hot-bed frame, or an 

 ordinary greenhouse would do ; as soon as the plants are large 

 enough, prick off" into other puts or pans as many as are required, 

 and place them near the glass, to prevent them from becoming 

 drawn; which, at any stage of their progress, would greatly injure 

 them. As soon as they are fit, pot them singly into thumb-pots, 

 giving increased air ; when established, they may be placed in a cold 

 frame, kept at first rather close, afterwards give more air, and shift 

 progressively until they are in pots of the required size ; 6-inch pots 

 will generally be found large enough, except for specimen plants, 

 which may be put into an 8 or 10-inch size. The soil must be 

 gradually increased in strength, until it is composed of equal parts 

 loam, peat, and leaf-mould, mixed with a little sand and fine char- 

 coal. The pots must be carefully drained, as the plants require 

 liberal supplies of water. They may remain in the frame until the 

 approach of frost, and may then be removed to the greenhouse. 

 Those of the first sowing will be in flower by the beginning of 

 October, the second by Christmas ; those of the third or July 

 sowing should be wintered in 5 -inch pots ; any premature flower- 

 stems they may shew pinched out, and be finally shifted in the 

 beginning of February. As there may be danger of the collars of 

 the plants being aff'ected by damp during dull weather in winter, 

 they may occasionally be supplied with water from below. 



In this way, and by giving abundance of light, air, and water, 

 handsome plants, with richly- coloured flowers, may be produced ; 

 which, mixed with a few common things, such as C)xlamen persi- 

 cum. Tree Violets, Lily of the Valley, Crocuses, Snowdrops, and 

 Winter Aconites, all of easy cultivation, would make a basket at 

 Christmas fit for any drawing-room. 



Willey Park, Salop. W. Elliott. 



N B. I had prepared this article before I had seen that at p. 45 ; 

 but perhaps it may prove equally acceptable from entering more 

 into details of management. — [It is so. Editor.] 



