5- 



iiM-ii <■ \K'i)i:\i\( 



aiiv iilliiT \ iiiirt i 

 iuli\ iilii.il I.i^tr a 



•«.. I. Ill 



Tlirii- arc. 'if (I mix 

 mmli must Ik- left 

 c-uinstam-es. 



OtluT ^'odil aciiiitits arc A|>t>iit>;;(ti 

 ta<liyoii. JirastMiia iH'ltatii. Hottmiia j), 

 Orontium A(|uatiruin. Saj^ittarias. 

 iniiiiina, &i'. \\'att'r IJIics and otlicr ]i 

 Ih' ])lantt'(l in llic water should lirst In- p 

 liaskt'ts in pxxl loam, and then dro|)|K( 

 into the water. 



.May is a very irnod moiiili i:i])laiit a(|ii. 



Primulas Obconica and 

 Malacoides. 



'Phk 1 \V(» al»ove-iianifd Primulas arc well 

 worthy, on tlieir merits, of being ])laeed in 

 foremost rank amonifst winter decorative ])lan1s 

 for conservatory, greenhouses. &:c. ; they are 

 exeeedingly llorifennis. and may be liad in 

 tiower tliroughout tlie winter and s])ring 

 months, well grown plants (and esi)eoially of 

 Obconica) being very effective for decorative 

 purposes; the sprays of flowers are also most 

 iiseful as cut flowers for liouse decoration ; 

 their requirements are very simple, and they 

 may be readily grown by amateur or professional 

 gardener. 



Within recent years Primula Obconica lias 

 been brought to a great state of i)erfection by 

 seedsmen who have devoted sjjccial attention 

 to this Primula, with the resiUt that they have 

 brought forward a strain jiroducing abundantly 

 flowers of great size and substance, carried on 

 stout stems well above the foliage, with a ^\■ide 

 range of colours, the most effective being pale 

 pink, bright pink and crimson. It may be said 

 of Obconica tiiat it is not imiversally looked 

 on in sucn a rosy light ; this subject, when fully 

 gro%ni. being at times charged with causing a 

 form of rash or slight skiji irritation on the hands 

 of those handling the plants. Well, to speak 

 of this Primula as I have found it during thirty 

 or more years that I have grown it, I have iiot 

 personally felt the least ill-effect from handling 

 it, or had xuider my notice any well authenticated 

 case of irritation caused by handling tlic plants. 

 Various human ailments frequently have 

 ascribed to them a cause qiute remote from the 

 correct one, and may not the same apply where 

 the Primula is blamed. However, any one 

 dubious in the matter may keep tlie arms 

 covered, and wear a pair of gloves Avhen potting 

 the plants; this will prevent any ill-effect. 



Primula Obconica is a perennial, and the same 

 plants ma}' be growji over a number of years if 

 desired, though it is a good plan to raise a batch 

 of seedlings, say, every second year, selecting 



>\VV 



ihc l.c>t llnucrcil |.lant>- to l)c ;_'rnuii 

 sucfccding years. Seeds ma \ be sown at end 

 of .lanuar>. or througii February, and llowi'red 

 during the ensuing winter, or seedlings may be 

 raised at the jtresent time, ami not alhtwcd to 

 li')Wi'r for lirst season: the seeds should be sown 

 in pans or shallow itoxcs on a mixture of loam. 

 leaf mould, and sand, kept moist and shaded 

 until the seedlings appear, 'i'he seeds germiiuite 

 most freely if j)lace(l in a temiierature of alM»ut 

 (»(> . when sown early in tlu- year: sown at 

 present time, the tem])erat uri- of a warm green- 

 house or vinery will sjiit (piite well. As soon as 

 tlie seedlings a])])ear. they should be ke])t (juite 

 near the glass, fully exi)osed to light aiul all but 

 \ery strong sun. \Vhen large ejiough to handle, 

 ihey should be ])ricked off into siiallow Ixjxes 

 lillcd with material similar to what tliey were 

 riiscd in. ^till kce])ing the ])lants close to the 

 glass, and in a moderately warm tem])erature, 

 When the seedlings are well estal)lisheil in these 

 boxes, they uiay. if desired, be removed to a 

 cold frame, tliough they will grow more freely 

 in a somewhat higher tem))erature. Before the 

 plants become crowded in the Ixtxes they should 

 be potted into 2i inch pots; for this ])otting 

 use a compost of light loam 2 parts, leaf-moiild 

 1 part, with a sprinkling of coarse silver sand, 

 aiul a proi)ortion of bone meal. say. at the rate of 

 a 3-inch ])otful to a bucket of compost. If 

 lieavy loam must be used add a greater ])ro- 

 ])ortion of leaf-mould; after this ])otting. ])lace 

 the plants in a cold frame, Avhich must be ke])t 

 close and lightly shaded from sim. foj' ilircc or 

 four days, afterwards they must ha\e al)un(l- 

 ance of air, and only be lightly shaded from 

 hot sun during middle of day. If they can be 

 given a situation where the sun is off the frame 

 early in the afteriu)on this is a considerable 

 advantage, aiul the frame may be closed about 

 4 ]),m.. When the })lants have these pots well 

 tilletl with roots they should be moved into 

 ■1-inch pots, in which thc\- sliould remain 

 throughout tlie following winter. 'J'o the coju- 

 post for this potting, a part of rich, thoroughly 

 decomposed manin-e sho\ild be added (tiricd 

 cow dung lubbcd through a ]-inch sieve is the 

 best). 



Old j)lants that h:ive been llowering through 

 the winter should, after removal from the con- 

 servatory, &c., be i^laced in a cold frame, after 

 clearing them of any remaining old flowers and 

 every young spray that may be throwing u]), 

 also clear them of exhausted or yellow^ish 

 foliage ; water them sparingly, and give a 

 moderate amount of air according to weather 

 conditions prevailing. Do not allow the plants 

 to become dry, and persistently pick out all 

 flowers that may show ; keep them in this manner 



