CULTURE OF FLORIST FLOWERS. 83 



{rig. A compost of one-third mellow loam, one-third rotten 

 leaf mould, and one-third river sand, is to be prepared and 

 put into a shady situation, and the pipeings are to be inserted 

 therein, an inch or two apart, and they are then covered with 

 a hand or bell glass, and regularly attended to as any other 

 cuttings, by shading from the sun, cleaning the glass, &c. 

 When rooted, which will be in a few weeks, they may be 

 planted into their final place of flowering. 



The method of layering is precisely the same as for any 

 other plant, and the time best for the business is the middle 

 of August or in the beginning of September. The method is 

 to clear out the plant from dead leaves, or any rubbish that 

 might have been collected. The top of the leaves of the 

 shoots intended to be layered are then cut even, and the earth 

 round the plant should be broken up with a trowel, and the 

 shoots knecked and layered with pegs, in the same manner 

 as before stated. When well rooted, the young plants may 

 be planted in their final place for flowering. The Carnation 

 and Picotee may be treated in precisely the same manner. 



Anx. 6. The Polyanthus and Auricula. 



The Polyanthus and Auricula, with the Primrose, Cow- 

 slip, and all their intermediate varieties, may be considered 

 under the head of Primulacese. 



This pretty family of plants has more claim on our atten- 

 tion to their culture than any other class of flowers, so little 

 regarded. The Primula vulgaris, or common Primrose of 

 Great Britain, is one of the first harbingers of spring, and is 

 seen almost every where, peeping under the sunny banks, to 

 greet the young spring, and bid adieu to the last relics of old 

 hoary winter. 



In China, Switzerland, and other parts of the northern 

 hemisphere, the Primula is found inhabiting the mountains 

 and meadows ; and the Auricula is found, in its primitive 

 state, growing on the base of the Alpine mountains, where 

 the sun seldom or never shines ; and hence we mav infer 



