LECTURE ON SPRING FLOWERING PLANTS. 349 



of many parts of Britain, it must not be supposed that it 

 could be suddenly drawn thence and produced in the 

 beautiful state in which it is exhibited at our flower 

 shows. This is a major variety, selected doubtless for 

 its size at some former period, and planted in rich soil, 

 where by gross feeding the plant has attained an unusual 

 development. The contents of these pots are prepared for 

 forcing in the following way : Small pieces or crowns are 

 planted in beds in rich ground, and allowed to remain there 

 for three or four years till the whole bed becomes one mass 

 of roots thickly studded with flowering crowns. They are 

 cut out with the spade in small patches to suit the size of 

 the pots in which they are grown, and placed in the pots in 

 the autumn, when by subjecting them to different degrees 

 of heat a succession of flowers may be obtained through- 

 out the winter and spring. The plants are raised from 

 seed, which should be sown in June in pots filled with 

 equal parts of sand, loam, and peat. The seed should be 

 quite fresh to ensure germination, and requires to be raised 

 under glass. The plants will not usually flower until the 

 second spring, after which they should continue to increase 

 in size and beauty for many years. When the seedlings 

 lose their leaves, which they should not do till they are 

 about twelve months old, it is important that they be kept 

 in a dry state. Moisture when in a state of rest will 

 certainly injure and probably destroy them. 



We come now to the Chinese Primula. This plant is 

 a native of China, whence it was introduced in 1820. It 

 is raised from seeds, which should be sown in the months 

 of May, June, and July successively, in pots filled with 

 light sandy soil, and kept under glass. When the seed- 

 lings have made their third or fourth leaf they should be 

 transplanted into small pots, giving each plant a separate 

 pot, and removing it at short intervals into pots of larger 

 sizes. This plant does not dislike heat, but if much heat is 

 employed plenty of air should also be given or the colours 

 of the flowers will be washy and pale. 



