Encyclopaedia of Gardening 265 



most valuable winter-blooming indoor plants in the Chinese Prim- 

 rose, Primula sinensis; the popular greenhouse species obconica, 

 and a host of hardy species, beginning with the common yellow 

 Primrose of the woodland. The Primulas give material to the 

 greenhouse owner, the rock gardener, and the spring bedder. There 

 are now many forms and colours of the Chinese Primrose, and those 

 who have plenty of glass, and want a good selection of sorts, may 

 grow the Fern-leaved as well as the ordinary section, and likewise 

 various distinct colours, perhaps also some doubles. The Star 

 Primulas should not be overlooked. A person with one house 

 might do well to order a packet of mixed seed. By making sow- 

 ings at intervals in spring 

 in a greenhouse it is 

 possible to get a succes- 

 sion of bloom. The 

 plants thrive in a cool 

 house, or even frame in 

 the summer, and should 

 be kept cool and moist 

 in dry weather. Placed 

 singly first of all in 3 -in. 

 pots, they may be trans- 

 ferred to 5 -in", and 6-in. 

 Loam, with a fourth of 

 leaf mould, a little dried 

 cow manure, and sand, 

 make a suitable compost. 

 The plants may be set 

 fairly deeply, without, 

 however, burying the leaf 

 stems. They have a tendency to get bare at the collar and rock about ; 

 this must be prevented. They will flower in winter and spring. It 

 is rarely worth while to keep old plants after blooming, as they tend 

 to get loose and scraggy. Young stock is much better. Unlike 

 the border Primroses, this species does not form a thick tuft of off- 

 sets. The double white Primula does so, and may be propagated 

 by division. Primula obconica (syn. poculiformis) (Botanical 

 Magazine, t. 6582) is a beautiful species, good for a greenhouse in 

 summer, and sharing with the Chinese Primrose the merit of doing 

 good service in a room window when in bloom. It should be 

 handled with caution, however, as it causes a painful rash on the 

 hands of some people, while having no ill effect on others. It may 

 be raised from seed in spring. 



Hardy species. The rock gardener has a splendid lot of material 

 to his hand in the hardy species, which produce charming flowers 

 among the stones. The following are beautiful species, and in the 

 case of most seed is procurable, which may be sown in a frame or 

 greenhouse as soon as it is ripe, or in spring; those of tufty habit 

 may be divided when established ; the best time for this is in spring, 

 after flowering: capitata, violet, 9 ins., spring; cortusoides, rose, 

 summer, 6 to 9 ins.; denticulata, lilac, spring, i ft. (Bot. Mag., 

 t. 3959), there are several varieties, including cashmeriana; japonica, 



A 



DIVIDING PRIMROSES AFTER FLOWERING. 



This plant may be separated into two or four 

 divisions at will. 



