Ai'UiL 20, 1911. 



The Weekly Florists^ Review* 



13 



Primtila Obconica Grandiflora. 



striped and marbled. The colors are all 

 distinct and fresh; nothing looks 

 washed out. 



In the main, these Chinese varieties 

 are treated like the obconicas, but we 

 cover the seeds slightly when sowing 

 and they get a lighter soil, with plenty 

 of spent and well decayed horse man- 

 ure. A cool atmosphere makes the most 

 perfect plants and produces the best 

 flowers, and they are certainly profit- 

 able plants to grow. While I prefer 

 growing obconicas in 3-inch pots and 

 planting several together in 5-inch or 

 6-inch pans with Asparagus Sprengeri, 

 I prefer the Chinese as single plants, 

 with massive foliage. 



Chinese Gigantea. 



During the last season I have tried 

 to a larger extent the gigantea strain 

 of the Chinese primroses offered by a 

 few specialists in Europe and have 

 been much pleased with the results. 

 The flowers are decidedly larger; they 

 are deeply fringed% and pure in color. 

 The colors are limited to a few shades 

 80 far, but no doubt others will follow 

 as development advances. 



The strains offered as double flower- 

 ing have so far been disappointing, and 

 uot one of the many hundreds I have 

 Krown could hold a candle to the double 

 varieties which were grown twenty 

 vears ago by the thousands for cut flow- 

 ers in Germany. Those that I have 

 gained so far from seed were certainly 

 flattered by the designation of "semi- 

 <1()uble. " and in real double flowers, 

 ^'ich as linger in my memory, there ia 

 'nothing doing." 



I do not sow the Chinensis as early 

 '""^ the obconicas. A sowing in the 

 nnddle of March produces, under favor- 

 :i'ile weather conditions, excellent stock 

 It shipping in the early part of June. 

 -'* f ter they have reached a certain size 



they grow fast and the nicest plants 

 can be obtained for Christmas sales by 

 sowings made about the end of April. 



Kewensis and Forbesi. 



Primula Kewensis is not known as 

 well as it ought to be. My opinion is 

 that it should be grown in 3-inch pots, 

 and should be planted three together 

 when in bloom, in a 5-inch or 6-inch pan. 

 As single plants they make a straggly 

 appearance, but several together have 

 such a profusion of yellow and look so 

 much like spring that they are simply 

 charming. The photograph from which 

 the illustration on page 12 was made 

 does not do justice to the plants, 

 but they will be found ready sellers. 

 The cultivation is similar to that for 

 the other varieties, but they like a 

 heavy soil. They can also be win- 

 tered in frames, under the protection 

 of leaves. They are used for spring 

 sales, in filling vases or for bedding. 



Primula Forbesi is a graceful vari- 

 ety, not much used, but useful for 

 baskets in winter or several together 

 in pans. The flowers are produced in 

 greatest profusion. An improvement of 

 this variety will be found in Primula 

 malacoides, introduced this season. I 

 am growing a few for trial, but I do 

 not think it is offered yet in this coun- 

 try. We give Forbesi the same treat- 

 ment as we give the Chinensis, and a 

 few can be used by everyone. 



J. L. Schiller. 



Dover, N. H. — Charles L. Howe, pro- 

 prietor of the Garrison Hill green- 

 houses, has opened an attractively ar- 

 ranged store in the building known 

 as the old Tufts drug store, on Wash- 

 ington street, and has placed it in 

 charge of Herbert E. Meader, a young 

 man who has been in Mr. Howe 's em- 

 ploy for the last two years. Mr. Howe 

 also has stores in Laconia, Portland 

 and Augusta, Me. 



Primula Chinensis Grandiflora Fimbriata. 



