AND CONSEEVATOET. 99 



jjain either as res;ard3 size, in preserving the old plants after 

 they have done flowering. 



The double-flowering primulas, as above remarked, are 

 awkward things to manage, and the inexperienced cultivator 

 had best for a time be content without them. They may be 

 raised from seed, but the usual method is by cuttings obtained 

 by splitting up the old plants. AVhen the bloom is over, allow 

 the plants a season of rest. Three or four weeks will suflice 

 for this if they are kept rather close, and by that time cuttings 

 may be taken in plenty. These should be potted singly in the 

 smallest thumb pots, the end of the cutting being cased en- 

 tirely in silver sand, and they must be placed on a steady 

 bottom-beat of 70° until rooted, when they must be shitted 

 into five-inch pots, and be again put in bottom-heat for a week, 

 after which they must be carefully inured to a cooler tempe- 

 rature, and be ultimately removed to a cold pit. All the for- 

 wardest, that have filled the 48-size pots with roots, may be 

 shifted into 32-size, but it will be folly to shift any, the roots 

 of which have not reached the sides of the pots. 



To obtain extra fine specimens, select well-grown plants in 

 flower. Eemove the flowers and shake the plants out of their 

 pots, and repot in 48-size. Then put them on bottom-heat to 

 promote a good start in the new soil ; and as soon as they have 

 filled the pots with roots, shift into 24-size (eight-inch). If the 

 pots are fairly drained, if the plants have no more artificial heat 

 than is necessary, and the management otherwise is right, you 

 will be well repaid when these large plants come into flower. 



Primula japoktca is a frame plant, reputed hardy, yet not 

 well adapted for weathering the storm in the open border. To 

 secure iine specimens, put them into rather large pots in a 

 rich, light, loamy soil, and keep them in a cold frame at all 

 seasons except when they are in flower, when they will be 

 treasures for the conservatory. They produce plenty of seed, 

 which should be sown as soon as gathered, and covered very 

 lightly. The seed will probably remain dormant a long time, 

 and there must be no haste in disturbing the soil it was sown 

 in, for the young plants may appear in myriads in the course 

 of six months or so. "We have always succeeded in getting 

 the seeds up in about ten days by putting the seed-pans in a 

 heat of 75°. "When grown as a border plant this primula 

 should have a shady sheltered situation. 



