and thoroughly. As it is not possible to get all the insects at one time, 

 the operation should be repeated weekly for some time. A reinfestation 

 may easily occur if other plants in the home have thrips, for the manettia 

 vine is much to their taste. The same control measures are suitable for 

 aphis and mealybug on this plant. It should also be noted that thrips are 

 much more troublesome at higher temperatures around 70° F or above. 



Suggested summer care 



Some growers rest their manettia plants out-of-doors in a sheltered 

 spot during summer. Still others grow them indoors the year around. 

 ■More vigorous and satisfactory plants may be had by starting new plants 

 from slips early each summer. If grown indoors in good soil, these sum- 

 mer-rooted slips will bloom all the following winter and spring. 



Baby Primrose 

 Primula malacoides* 



The baby primrose or Primula malacoides is one of the pot plants 

 ordinarily grown by florists and sold when in full bloom. Often these 

 plants are not too satisfactory because the sudden change from green- 

 house to home conditions is too much for them at this stage. To be most 

 successful as flowering house plants they should be purchased when in 

 bud or earlier. Plants in the proper stage are usually available from 

 florists during late fall and early winter and often at lower prices than 

 when in full bloom. 



Of 20 plants grown by as many growers their condition or degree 

 of success was as follows: 12 good to excellent, two fair, and six poor or 

 failure. Of the six plants rated poor or failure three were vegetative but 



Fig. 21a (left) — The baby primrose can give 5 months of bloom if prop- 

 erly cared for. Fig. 21b (right) — Unless primroses have a cool night 

 temperature they may fail to flower. (See plant on left.) The plant on 

 right has flowered and is in need of plant food 



"This species does not cause a skin lash such as that caused by some other species of primula. 



Forty-three 



