ON REARING FLO-WEES. 



155 



regularly tliinned, leaving only eight or ten of the finest 

 to each umbel. When they ai^e in full flower, they should 

 be placed in a shaded situation, which will continue them 

 in bloom for a greater length of time. After flowering, 

 they may be again potted, and treated as before directed. 



Polyanthuses, with which may be included double 

 primroses, though they are most successfully ctiltivated 

 when kept in pots, will nevertheless grow very fine when 

 planted in the open border, requiring no other protection 

 than to be planted in a shaded situation (a border with a 

 northern aspect is best). They may be propagated in a 

 similar manner to auiiculas, — by division of the roots for 

 increasing old sorts, and by seed for obtaining new varie- 

 ties. The division of the roots must be effected by the 

 hand, and not with a knife, and should be performed after 

 the plants have ceased flovrering. The old plants should 

 be taken from the ground at this time, and after separa- 

 ting the young ofi'sets from them, they should all be 

 planted into a border of loamy soil that has been freshly 

 dug and well maniu-ed, and is situated on the north side 

 of a wall. If kept in pots, they may be treated in the same 

 manner as auriculas, and the flowers should also be 

 tliinned to render them finer. Seed of the polyanthus 

 (the double primrose does not produce seed) may be sown 

 in the autumn, in pans or boxes of loamy soil, and very 

 slightly covered with earth ; the young plants will appear 

 in the spiing, and when they are of a sufficient size, they 

 may be planted out in a shady border of rather rich 

 loamy soil, where they will require no more than ordi- 

 nary attention. They will flower in the following spring, 

 and the best sorts should be transplanted after flowering 

 into a similar border, while the worthless ones may be 

 thrown away. 



Pinks and carnations are so similar to each other in 

 habit, and their treatment being in most respects the same, 

 it will be convenient to off'er a few general observations 

 which will apply to both. With regard to their propaga- 

 tion, however, they difter materially, as catenations are 

 multiplied by layers, while pinks are increased by cut- 

 tings, or, as they are u^usaIy termed, jyqj in gs. For the 

 method of propagatmg carnadons, we refer to the article 



