PRIMULA 



483 



All greenhouse Primulas require a rather moist atmosphere and 

 so do the obconicas, but they will thrive in almost any good soil 

 with plenty of drainage in the pots. During Summer let them have 

 a shaded house with all the ventilation possible' and keep them 

 shifted. Constant sprayiug with light doses of nicotine will keep 

 them free from green fly and they a:re hardly ever attacked by 

 anything else. By Fall gradually remove the shade and let them 

 have a house of 50 deg. or a little over. They will do nicely in 

 full sunlight, but when coming into flower, they should have some 

 protection; it will result in better flower heads and a richer coloring 

 in the flowers. 



For Christmas flowering, seed should be sown about January. 

 Plant another lot about March for a later crop and still another 

 about May first for Easter blooming. 



Those wanting the plants mainly for cut flowers should bench 

 a few heavy 4s about September first, allowing one foot of space 

 between them. This will result in extra large plants and long 

 flower stems. Such plants can also be lifted and potted up when in 

 full flower. They won't show any bad effects if this is done carefully 

 and if they are kept in the shade for a little while; but they will hot 

 have the lasting qualities of those grown in pots. 



Pbimula sinensis 



I consider a well-grown red Chinese Primula in full bloom in 

 a 5-in. pot a most desirable Christmas plant and one which will 

 always find a ready sale as 

 there are always some among 

 your customers not able or 

 willing to purchase other more 

 expensive stock. The large 

 city retailer may not use them 

 nor wish to cater to trade de- 

 manding a doUar or a dollar 

 and a half plant, but the coun- 

 try florist wants all such plants 

 he can get. However, the great 

 majority as yet make but little 

 effort to grow on this sort of 

 stock, which, in the case of 

 these Primulas, is a compara- 

 tively easy matter. 



Well-established 2-in. 

 plants shifted into 3s about 



July fifteenth can be easily ^-ii. o.~v-. — -~. i * k t tc 



grown into Jieavy 5s by the SrasttSet°o^ffla?ettotS 



Fig. 246. — Pbimula sinensis in a Four- 

 inch Pot. With good culture, the Chinese 

 Primulas can be had in 5- and even 6-in. 

 pots for Christmas and every florist can 

 use them to good advantage. However, 

 4-in. stock in fuU bloom comes m very 



middle of December and 



plants is wanted 



