Stove and Greenhouse Plants and Flowers 203 



trusses on steins 6 to 9 in. high, well above the large wrinkled leaves. 

 The colour of the flowers has undergone great change as the result of 

 selection and intercrossing, and there are now pure-white, pink, mauve, 

 heliotrope, purple, rose, and intermediate shades to be met with. To 

 have a crop of plants in bloom during the winter, the seeds should be 

 sown in March, April, and May to secure a good succession. 



Primula sinensis. ,From this has originated the florist's Chinese 

 Primula, which for many years has been a favourite with market growers. 

 Fig. 297 shows the loose and graceful habit of the typical' species, which 

 of late years has again become fashionable in private gardens. The dwarf 

 florists' varieties, however, are 

 preferred for market work, as 

 they are easier to transport and 

 do not require so much care in 

 packing. The red- and white- 

 flowered varieties are perhaps 

 most popular, but there are all 

 shades of colour(except yellow), 

 among them being scarlet, crim- 

 son, mauve, lavender, pink, and 

 intermediate shades. 



Seeds of the Chinese Pri- 

 mula (in which, of course, a 

 good trade is done by special- 

 ists) are sown in March, April, 

 and May in order to secure a 

 succession of bloom from early 

 to late in the season from 

 October onwards. Some care 

 is taken in properly draining 

 the pots, pans, or boxes in which 

 the seeds are to be sown, and a 



compost of 3 parts loam, 1 part sand, and 1 part well-rotted manure or leaf 

 mould is used, although some growers have loam and leaf mould in about 

 equal proportions. The soil is watered before the seeds are sown. Thin 

 sowing is the rule, and the seeds are just covered with some fine gritty 

 mould. They germinate irregularly in a temperature varying between 

 50 F. at night and 70 F. by day. When large enough to handle easily 

 the seedlings are pricked off about 1 in. apart into pots, pans, or boxes 

 in a similar compost, and are placed in a somewhat shaded part of the 

 greenhouse until again established. The seedlings are next moved singly 

 into 3-in. pots, but specially large plants may be placed at once in 5-in. 

 pots. In all cases the plants are potted so that the soil comes well up to 

 the collar. During growth, attention is given to careful watering, and a 

 sprinkling overhead two or three times a day is usual in genial weather 

 when the plants are in the early stages of growth. During the summer 



Fig. 297. Primula sinensis 



