CULTURE OF WINTER FLOWERING PLANTS. 139 



that we have tried for that purpose. The crop, even at 

 what may be termed the low rate of $4 per 100 florets, 

 has netted us $1,000 for one of our 11x100 feet struc- 

 tures, and that, too, during December, from dry roots 

 planted in August. 



DOUBLE WHITE CHINESE PRIMROSE. 



This ranks high a^ a winter flowering plant, being pro- 

 ductive in a wonderful degree, as many as a thousand 

 florets often being picked from one plant. It is of easy 

 culture during the fall, winter, and spring months, but re- 

 quires careful handling during summer. We find it 

 thrives best in summer in a cool green-house, having the 

 sashes lightly painted with whitewash, say from June 1st 

 to November 1st ; but as fall advances, the whitewash 

 should be partially rubbed off, to accomodate the lessened 

 force of the sun's rays at that season. By the 1st of Novem- 

 ber it should be all cleaned off. It is always grown in pots 

 of a size to correspond to the size or degree of vigor of the 

 plant. The soil used contains about one half part leaf 

 mould or decayed refuse hops. It being a very fine rooted 

 plant it requires the mechanical condition to be soft and 

 easily penetrated by its thread-like roots. It may be grown 

 in a temperature varying at night from 50 to 60 degrees. 

 It is usually propagated by dividing the roots, though this 

 is but a slow way of increase, and by no means so well fitted 

 to make healthy plants, as by making cuttings of the side 

 shoots in the usual way. Cuttings taken off in March will 

 root in four weeks, and by fall, with ordinary care, make 

 plants large enough to produce an average of 500 florets 

 during the winter. 



The average price for the winter is fifty cents per 100 

 florets. There are now some four or five double colored 

 varieties, with colors ranging from light rose to crimson ; 

 they are yet, however, quite scarce here. Their culture 

 and propagation are identical with that of the double white. 



