78 THE GARDENER. [Fer. 



THE CHINESE PRIMULA. 

 Perhaps amongst autumn, winter, and sjiring flowering plants there 

 is none that can surpass the Primula for general usefulness, and noth- 

 ing better exists for the amateur's greenhouse or as a window-plant. 

 For room-decoration it continues in good condition for a long time, and 

 is invaluable. The Primula is easy of cultivation and most floriferous, 

 continuing to produce its llowers during winter in continuous succes- 

 sion. Many beautiful new forms are from time to time offered, but 

 when really good strains of P. sinensis, fimbriata, rubra, and alba 

 are obtained, none are much if any better. 



If wanted to bloom in autumn, seed should be sown any time during 

 the present month : if not until spring, the operation of sowing can be 

 deferred some few weeks longer. Hitherto I have failed to see the 

 utility of making successional sowings, as out of one pan of seed there 

 is generally a good succession of plants, which should be sorted, when 

 pricked out of the seed-pan, into two or three sizes, and placed in sep- 

 arate pans. Many experience difficulty in getting Primula-seed to 

 germinate, which need not be the case if the seed is good to start with. 

 Square pans or 6-inch pots, according to the quantity of seed to be 

 sown, should be liberally drained, and the drainage covered with a 

 layer of moss. They should be filled with a light compost of equal 

 parts of loam and leaf-mould, with a liberal dash of silver sand. The 

 soil placed on the top of the pan or pot should have passed through a 

 rather fine sieve. The surface of the pan should be made level, but 

 not pressed too firmly, and the seed should be evenly sown over the 

 surface. No attempt should be made to thoroughly cover the seeds ; 

 a little fine leaf -mould I have found the best to scatter amongst the 

 seeds. Many failures result from covering the seed too deeply. After 

 sowing, the pans should be thoroughly watered through a fine rose, 

 and a square of glass placed over it covered with a little moss. The 

 more heat the pans are placed in, the sooner germination takes place, 

 but a temperature of 60'' is ample ; or the seed will do in a much 

 lower temperature in case the former cannot be maintained. Care 

 must be taken that the pans do not suffer for the want of water 

 until the seed has germinated. When growth commences, the glass 

 over the pans must be tilted so as to admit light and air to strengthen 

 the seedlings. Exposure to light must be gradual at first, until the 

 glass and moss can be entirely removed : at no time should strong sun 

 strike upon the seedlings while so tender and young. It is surprising 

 how soon their tiny roots lay hold of the leaf-mould scattered amongst 

 the seed. When large enough, the seedlings should be pricked into 

 pots or pans and sorted as referred to above, using much the same soil 

 with a little larger proportion of loam. This time none of the soil 

 will need to go through a sieve — an operation I never practise except 

 in the case of a few fine seeds. After the seedlings are pricked off, 

 they should be placed in the shade for a time until they commence 



