44 ROGK GARDENING FOR AMATEURS 



the following spring. Primulas sown in autumn generally 

 give a percentage of seedlings in spring, and others the 

 next year. 



Care of the Seedlings. When the seedlings have 

 formed the second lot of leaves, they should be transferred 

 to other pots or boxes and placed wider apart, say from 

 one to two inches. Soil similar to that previously used 

 is suitable. They are placed in the frame, watered, and 

 kept close for a day or two, then gradually exposed to 

 the air. Seedlings of precious alpines should be placed 

 singly in small pots ; there is then no risk of disturbing 

 the roots when planting in the rock garden, which is 

 best done in late August, early September, or March, 

 though with alpines in pots planting is carried out at 

 any time. Watering needs to be done with great care. 

 The surface of the soil should never be moister than that 

 underneath, and the best way to ensure this is, as already 

 described, to immerse the pots to their rims in water. 

 There is little fear of the young plants damping off 

 when treated in this manner. Seedlings that come up 

 thickly or are left too long before being transferred 

 to other pots are very liable to suffer from this malady, 

 which destroys tiny plants in great numbers. When 

 they begin to damp off it is desirable to prick off the 

 seedlings into fresh pots at once, even if they have not 

 formed the second lot of leaves. Air and light are of 

 great importance ; seedlings that have become " drawn," 

 from being kept too far from the glass or in too high a 

 temperature, are more liable to damp off than sturdy ones. 



