12 THE AQUARIUM, OCTOBER, 1892. 
THE CHINESE PRIMROSE. 
The Primula chinensis is the gem of 
the collection of window plants. None 
surpass it in beauty; and for continu- 
ous bloom, certainly none can be found 
more desirable. It is one of the best 
of all plants for the decoration of the 
drawing-room or dining table, and al- 
ways at home in the conservatory or 
greenhouse. For nine months out of 
twelve they may be made to yield flow- 
ers, though more profusely’ from No- 
vember to May, and with their colors 
of red, white, crimson, purple and pink, 
they form objects of curious ornaments. 
They are objects of easy care, requir- 
ing attention only in watering. The 
soil should not be allowed to get dry, 
and yet the roots are so tenacious of life 
they will cling closely till the last mo- 
ment around any particle of moisture 
in the earth. Keep the soil moderately 
moist, but not over saturated. If evap- 
oration or drainage is slow, and the cir- 
culation through the pot impeded, the 
plants will turn sickly and die off. We 
do not advise manure water; plain warm 
water is the best. The best varieties for 
window gardens are the double white 
primroses and Rubra plena, a double 
red variety, indescribably charming. 
The single-fringed varieties are very 
fine, but the above are now the most 
popular. One great advantage which 
the Primrose possesses over most winter 
flowering plants is that it is rarely ever 
infested with greenfly or other trouble- 
some pests. Primroses are propagated 
mainly by cuttings and seeds. Cut- 
tings taken from the side shoots in 
April will make vigorous plants by 
autumn. From June to October they 
should be kept from the hot sun ina 
shady location, with but little water. 
The soil should be largely composed of 
leaf mould. 
The single varieties are largely grown 
from seed, which should be sown in 
April or May, under a square of glass. 
When four or five leaves are developed, 
plant in small thumb pots, and shade 
for two or three days. During the 
summer keep the pots in a shady loca- 
tion, but in the winter the nearer they 
are to the glass the better and brighter 
will they flower. 
If any unusually fine flowers reward 
your care, they can be increased by cut- 
tings. The Primrose is a perennial ; 
the seed is usually sold in mixed colors, 
but they can be recognized nearly as soon 
as the leaves appear, by the color of 
the stems. No plant flowers more 
profusely, and sometimes five hundred 
florets are gathered from one plant.— 
Williams’ Window Gardening. 
> 
CROSSES AND CROSSING OF 
PLANTS. 
This was the subject of a paper read 
at a late meeting of the Massachusetts 
State Board of Agriculture by Pro- 
fessor L. H. Bailey, of Cornell Univer- 
sity. 
Speaking of ‘‘crossing strengthen- 
ing existing types,” the Professor said : 
‘‘The improvement of existing varie- 
ties by crossing is a more important 
office than the summary production of 
new varieties. This is the chief use 
which nature makes of crossing — to 
strengthen the type. Think, for in- 
stance, of the great rarity of hybrids 
or pronounced crosses in nature! No - 
doubt all the authentic cases on record 
could be entered in one or two volumes, 
but a list of all the individual plants 
of the world could not be compressed 
into ten thousand volumes. There are 
a few genera, in which the species are 
not well defined or in which some char- 
