24 



CASSELL'S POPUI AR GARDENIA U 



into bloom and re-potting them. But so much de- 

 pends upon the character of the garden soil. 



A good compost for the culture of the Polyanthus 

 in pots is made up of the following ingredients : — 

 one part light yellow loam, one part silver sand, one 

 part well-decomposed cow or horse dung, and one 

 part leaf-mould. A light sandy soil of this cha- 

 racter, pressed very firmly about the roots, is one 

 which has been found to 

 suit this plant well. 



The Fancy or Giant 

 Polyanthus. — This is 

 a Dew race of strong- 

 growing, fine, and showy 

 Polyanthuses, which, for 

 the purpose of distin- 

 guishing them from the 

 Gold-laced types, have 

 been designated Fancy 

 varieties. They are all 

 of vigorous growth, the 

 flowers large, stout, and 

 of various hues of colours, 

 from pure white and 

 yellow, to deep purple 

 and crimson. Some of 

 the finest varieties have 

 been selected and named, 

 and they are found com- 

 peting on the exhibition 

 table. But they are much 

 more generally grownfor 

 the decoration of the 

 flower garden, and are 

 very effective in beds and 

 in the open border. But 

 to do the plants full justice 

 they should be in good soil 

 with some dung and leaf-mould dug into it, will 

 grow them to perfection. At the time of planting 

 the plants should be placed deeply in the soil, and the 

 soil pressed firmly about them. The tendency of 

 nearly all the Primula family, including the Auricula, 

 is to elongate its stem, and to thrust itself out of the 

 soil. At the end of the summer, when the plants 

 have lost their leaves, they present to view naked 

 stems two or more inches above the soil. Therefore 

 it is necessary in the first place to plant deeply and 

 firmly, and tbis done, to lift in early autumn the plants 

 that have unduly thrust themselves up out of the 

 soil, cut away any decayed portions of the main root 

 up to the fibrous roots, and then again plant in deeply 

 so that the leaves may touch the surface ; one great 

 advantage will be that the stem will thrust forth 

 fresh roots, and so add to the strength of the plants. 



A Sekdling Poltanihus 



deep, sandy loam, grown in pot 



If it be inconvenient to lift and re-plant, then the 

 plants that have thrust themselves up out of the 

 soil should be top-dressed, by having some fine 

 mould heaped up about the stems, which will answer 

 much the same purpose. In all cases where the 

 plants are lifted and re-planted, whether they be- 

 Auriculas, Polyanthuses, or Primroses, some fresh, 

 light, rich soil should be placed about the root> 

 to encourage action. If 

 the fine named varieties 

 of Fancy Polyanthuses 

 are grown in pots, or if 

 any selected seedings are 

 employed for this pur- 

 pose, they should be 

 treated as recommended 

 for the Gold-laced section. 



Semi-dupJpx or .Hosc- 

 ■in-Hose Polyanthuses. — A 

 very interesting section 

 of Fancy Polyanthuses 

 is that known as the 

 Semi-duplex or Hose-in- 

 Hose varieties, in which 

 the calyx is transformed 

 into a perfect pip, and so 

 they are two- flowered, 

 one pip issuing from the 

 other. This tj-pe has 

 been known by the name 

 of Hose-in-Hose for many 

 years past. Of late years 

 they have been greatly 

 improved by seeding, and 

 now there is in cultivation 

 a batch of beautiful named 

 varieties that are charm- 

 ing whether they art,- 

 or in the open gi'ound. "SYe can- 

 not commend them too highly. 



JSyhrkl or Primrose Polyanthuses. — There is a sec- 

 tion of the Polyanthuses Avhich for the sake of 

 convenience has been denominated Hybrid or Prim- 

 rose Polyanthuses. They form an intermediate 

 group, as they first of all send up flowers on long 

 stems like the common Primrose, and these are 

 followed later by Polyanthus stems and trusses. 

 They are generally early to flower, and very con- 

 tinuous also. They will come among seedling Prim^ 

 roses, and also among seedling Polyanthuses ; and 

 we would recommend those of our readers who may 

 take an interest in Primroses and Polyanthuses, if 

 i\iQj succeed in raising some good varieties of the in- 

 termediate type, to propagate them by dividing the 

 roots, and plant them out for increase as above 

 directed. The early-flowering forms are very useful 



