THE PRIMULA OBCONISA 



23 



turbance of its roots that it takes its own 

 time in which to recover from it, and it 

 frequently does not become fully estajb- 

 lished in its new quarters for a year or 

 more. Until it has made-up its mind to 

 settle down and grow, you need not expect 

 blossoms from it. 



It does much better in a heavy clay loam 

 than in a lighter soil. It likes good 

 drainage, and a great deal of old, welL- 

 rotted co-w manure. This should be dug 

 in about its roots every spring. We often 



ROSE FLOWERED PEONIES 



find old clumps in gardens long deserted, 

 from which there will be a crop of small 

 flowers each season, but when well cared 

 for the* plants will give immense flowers, 

 rich in co-lor, and so profuse in quantity 

 that the stalks will bend beneath their 

 weight. It is not at all uncommon to see 

 well-established plants several years old, 

 on which flowers can be co-unted by the 

 hundred. When properly cared for, 

 plants increase in beauty with age, and 

 are good for a lifetime. 



Of all early flowering plants, there is 

 nothing superior to the Peony for use in 

 wide borders, and for planting among 

 shrubbery, where a brilliant sho-w of color 

 is desired. Grouped on the lawn they 



are extremely efi:ective during their flower- 

 ing season, but because this is brief and 

 comes early, I would not advise planting 

 them there, as the plants themselves are 

 not especially attractive. Give up the 

 lawn to plants whose attractiveness covers 

 a longer period 



Peonies can be planted in Fall or 

 Spring Cover them well with litter or 

 eld manure in Fall, and fork it in about 

 the plants when Spring comes. 



THE PRIMULA OBCONICA 



1HAVE had a strong friendship for this 

 plant ever since it first came to my no- 

 tice. Its delicate flowers have a sugges- 

 tion of "Spring beauties^^ in them — even 

 their fragrance is of the "woodsy" kind — 

 and they are so freely and constantly pro- 

 duced that a well-grown specimen is a con- 

 stant source of delight. Especially in early 

 winter when there is likely to lye a dearth 

 of other flowers are they appreciable. 



In order to grow this plant well, you 

 must give it a light, spongy soil, and 

 plenty of water. It has hundreds of fine 

 roo-ts, and these take up the moisture so 

 rapidly that twice as much water will be 

 required by even ^. small plant as suffices 

 a two.-year old (ireranium. If water is not 

 given in liberal quantities-, your plants 

 will fail to grow or bloom well. It is par- 

 ticularly well adapted to shady windows. 

 It does not seem to care for sunshine. 



Young plants, grown from spring-sown 

 seed, can be procured of most dealers in 

 fall. These plajits can be divided next 

 spring, and made to produce any number 

 of new plants for use the following winter. 



We have another fcfrm of this Primula 

 which deserves a place in every collection 

 — the Baby Primrose. I know af no more 

 delightful little plant. It is always in 

 bloom, bright, winsome, cheerful, and 

 with a way about it that makes it irresist- 

 ible. This requires the same treatment as 

 that advised for P. Obconica. 



A good deal was said, at one time, about 



