MAY 341 



retentive soil. If necessary, wait until the close of the month, or 

 longer, before putting in the seed. Sow on raised beds of light soil, 

 the more sandy the better ; and in seasons which speedily burn the 

 life out of other plants, Portulacas will display their beauty, no matter 

 how fiercely the sun may beat upon them. Water will occasionally 

 be necessary, but it should never be given until there is obvious need 

 for it. Portulacas are easily grown in pots or window-boxes, and 

 they will bloom profusely where many other flowers will only wither 

 and die. 



PRIMULA. -Almost every season witnesses the advent of some 

 novelty in this flower, either in colour or in form. And the plant is 

 now worth growing for the beauty and diversity of its foliage alone. 

 The flowers range from pure white through all shades of tender rose 

 up to a deep, rich, blood red. After years of earnest effort a beautiful 

 blue has also been obtained. Then there are several elegant double 

 strains, and these, possess a special value for bouquets because of their 

 enduring quality. They can all be grown with extreme ease in any 

 soil which is fairly rich and friable. Equal parts of leaf-mould and 

 loam, with a little sand, will suit them to perfection. Fill the pots 

 firmly, and have them well drained. A thin layer of silver sand 

 sifted over the soil will aid an even sowing by showing up the seed. 

 As a finish, shake over just enough fine soil to hide the sand. Thin 

 sowing is important, because the most reliable new seed is almost 

 certain to germinate at intervals, and the plants which come first can 

 then be lifted without imperilling the remainder. Prick off as fast as 

 ready round the edges of small .pots, and shade until established. 

 Then give air more and more freely. 



STOCK, TEN-WEEK. The preparation of the soil is the first 

 Business ; and whether the Stocks are intended to be grown in small 

 groups or alone in beds, the treatment should be the same in either 

 case. With light land there is no difficulty ; it is only needful to dig 

 it well, and incorporate enough decayed manure. If disposed to 

 incur a little extra trouble to give the plants a start, take out some 

 soil with a trowel, and fill the space with compost from the potting 

 shed. This course is indispensable on heavy land ; and assuming it 

 to be rich enough , the quickest and most effectual way is to make 

 drills six inches deep at the proper distances, and nearly fill them 

 with prepared soil, in which the Stocks can be planted. For a short 

 time afterwards, provide shelter from the mid-day sun, but do not 

 keep them covered a moment longer than is necessary. In planting, 

 it must not be forgotten that an uncertain proportion of single speci- 



