200 



THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY 



[July, 



Greenhouse and House Gardening. 



COMMUNICA TIONS. 



HOW TO CROW CHINESE PRIMROSES 

 SUCCESSFULLY. 



BY HENRY S. RUPP, SHIREMANSTOWN, PA. 



As many florists in the culture of Primroses, 

 and parties growing them for their own use, fail 

 in their cultivation, it may be of importance to 

 point out some of the causes. In many cases 

 the seeds are worthless, being gathered before 

 fully matured, or are injured in transit across 

 the ocean. On account of this, and the high 

 prices at which these seeds are usually sold, ama- 

 teurs and many skilled florists, hesitate to venture 

 in their culture. Many failures can be traced to 

 having the plants too wet when once sprouted, 

 or to being placed m a damp or too moist a 

 situation. In this condition the young plants 

 will damp off", or, if they survive, will make 

 only a slender and sickly growth. 



One of the most general mistakes is in placing 

 the plants in too warm a location, and another 

 in not giving sufficient light. 



In following the directions given below, 

 Chinese Primroses can be brought to a high 

 state of perfection, and no danger of failure need 

 be feared. 



The soil for Primroses must be of the richest 

 quality. Woods mold, muck, or sods well de- 

 cayed, and about one-third sand, with a liberal 

 supply of well rotted stable manure, is well suited 

 for Primroses. Where this cannot be had, chip 

 dirt, or any rich garden soil mixed with good 

 manure, will do very well. The soil should be 

 prepared at once, and kept out doors until there 

 is danger of winter setting in, when it should be 

 removed to the cellar. When wanted for use it 

 should be finely pulverized and sifted, as the 

 roots of the Primroses are all very fine and ten- 

 der. They cannot penetrate hard lumps of earth. 



The seed should be sown either in shallow 

 seed-pans or small shallow boxes, filled about 

 two inches with finely pulverized earth and sand. 

 Sow the seeds thinly on this, press with the 

 bottom of a small flower pot, and cover evenly 

 about one-sixteenth to one-eighth of an inch ; 

 smooth off" and press the earth down again ; now 

 cover quite thinly with moss. If no moss is at 



hand, small blades of fine grass or old muslin 

 will do, merely to keep the earth from drying 

 out. Water at once with a fine rose sprinkler. 

 This watering will in most instances be all that 

 will be needed until the seeds are sprouted, 

 though they must be looked after every day, and 

 when the earth gets dry a light sprinkling given 

 them. Set the boxes or pans in a cool place, 

 and where the winds cannot reach them. As 

 soon as the young plants make their appearance, 

 the moss or other covering should be carefully 

 removed. The earth during the day must be 

 moist until they are fairly established ; but care 

 mustnow be taken in giving the proper supply 

 of water ; for if the earth should become very 

 wet, the small plants will damp off", particularly 

 if too wet during the night or in cloudy weather. 

 It is safer never to water in the evening, even 

 when the top soil is dry. 



The boxes or pans may be covered with glass 

 when no moss is used; but this requires careful 

 watching, and considerable skill in their proper 

 and safe management; for when the earth once 

 becomes too much water-soaked, and remains so 

 for a day or two at the time the seeds are sprout- 

 ing, they will be all ruined. The glass should be 

 lifted off" occasionally, and the box placed in the 

 sun for a short time. As soon as the young 

 plants make their appearance, the glass should 

 be taken off", except during the hottest part of 

 the day. 



The seed should be sown about the 1st, or not 

 later than the 15th of July. The plants will then 

 commence to bloom in the beginning of Decem- 

 ber, and continue in perfect flower until spring. 

 If started earlier the flowers will not be so fine 

 during the latter part of the winter, at the time 

 when flowers are most appreciated. 



About the middle of August, if the young 

 plants have made good growth and strong roots, 

 they should be transplanted into small pots (the 

 smallest size), using the soil described above, 

 pulverized and sifted. As soon as they are 

 planted into these pots, give a pretty thorough 

 watering and shade for a few days, then set the 

 pots where there is plenty of light, not in the 

 sun, and in a dry and as cool a place as can be 

 found at this season of the year ; by this treat- 



