814 THE PRINCIPLES OF FLORICULTURE 



and one-fourth loam, with a sprinkling of sand. The 

 plants should be kept in a light, airy place where the 

 temperature does not go above 55 at night. About May 

 first they should be re-potted into similar soil, and care 

 should be taken not to over- water them when first potted. 



469. Summer treatment. About May fifteenth, they 

 are removed to a coldframe where they are covered with 

 a lattice frame or cheese-cloth screen. They are re-potted 

 again in July into five- or six-inch pots, returned to the 

 frame and left until September first. They should be 

 syringed frequently during the summer. If especially 

 large plants are desired, they are re-potted into seven- or 

 eight-inch pots when they are brought into the house. 

 If not re-potted, it is well to begin at once to feed liquid 

 manure in dilute form, strengthening it as they begin to 

 flower. The temperature should be kept low, or the buds 

 will blast. It should rarely go above 50 at night, and not 

 over 65 in the daytime. Green-flies and thrips may be 

 prevented by packing the pots in tobacco stems during 

 the summer. 



Light fumigations may be given before the buds appear. 

 Giganteum varieties are less desirable than the smaller- 

 flowering varieties, as they are less prolific of bloom. The 

 bulbs may be used a second year. They are dried off 

 slowly, but not allowed to become bone dry. They are 

 potted by the fifteenth of April, and given the same sum- 

 mer treatment as described for the first year's growth. 



PRIMROSES 



470. Botanical classification. Order, XPrimulacese ; 

 genus, Primula (an old name given Primula veris, one 

 of the first spring flowers) ; species, Indoor : sinensis ; 



