1879.] DOUBLE PRIMULA SINENSIS. 227 



for decorative purposes than are the singles ; of late years, however 

 much attention has been paid to their improvement, and the result is 

 a great increase in their number — all more or less superior. Mr R. 

 Gilbert has been particularly successful in this work, and has received 

 certificates for several of his varieties from the Royal Horticultural 

 Society. The whole stock of them has passed into the hands of the 

 Messrs Osborn & Sons, Fulham Nurseries, London, by whom they 

 will shortly be distributed. I saw them as grown and exhibited 

 by Mr Gilbert, also growing and flowering in the above Nurseries, 

 and in both instances was much struck with the very marked im- 

 provement effected, both with regard to the size and beauty of the 

 trusses and blooms, and also in their evident robustness. The best 

 white -flowering variety among them is the White Lady; and the 

 Princess, white, slightly blotched with red ; Marchioness of Exeter, 

 white, spotted with pink (a fine flower) ; Mrs A. F. Barron, blush, 

 slightly striped with red ; and the Earl of Beaconsfield, a good crim- 

 son, — are all really sterling novelties. 



Double Primulas are decidedly the most serviceable as cut-blooms, 

 as they travel well. Individual blooms are largely used in bouquets, 

 &c, but do not, I am bound to admit, always keep quite so fresh as 

 one would wish ; but from what I have seen of the newer varieties, 

 they, in all probability, will keep better — the flowers being of a 

 greater substance. The plants are propagated by division soon after 

 blooming time; the offshoots with a heel attached being placed 

 singly into small 60-pots, steadied — that is, lightly tied to small 

 stakes, and placed in a moderately brisk, but not too moist tempera- 

 ture, till rooted. The soil used is about equal parts of fibry loam, 

 and either peat or leaf-mould, with a good addition of silver sand and 

 charcoal. When repotting, less peat or leaf-mould may be used, and 

 a little thoroughly-rotten dung substituted. A good place to grow them 

 in is on the back shelf of a stove, as they require heat till well es- 

 tablished ; after which, the temperature of an intermediate house is 

 the most suitable for maturing their growth and afterwards for 

 properly developing the bloom. Avoid large shifts when potting, 

 and use clean and well-drained pots — the 5-inch is a very serviceable 

 size. Many off-sets rot in the striking-pots from- being put in too 

 deep ; and deep potting, deficient drainage, and careless watering, 

 kills many that have survived that critical period. Doubtless they 

 are sometimes well grown in cold frames, &c. treated similar to the 

 single varieties, but more often not ; and possibly for this reason are 

 discarded, as being either too difficult or else not worth the trouble 

 to grow. Where the cool treatment has failed, try what a little heat 

 will do. W. Iggulden. 



