February TO, '831. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
161 
pistil yellow, sime length as the anthers. Large cone-shaped fruit, 
dull red on sunny side, dark green shaded side, fair quality, useful 
late kind.— J. H. GtOODacre. 
A SCARCITY OF PARSLEY. 
On all sides complaints are heard of the damage done to 
IParsley by the severe frosts, and personally I never knew it to be 
so scarce generally. A moderately severe frost will destroy the 
extra finely curled or “ double ” Parsley, but the common or 
‘^-single” forms, to be found in the gardens attached to many 
farm houses and some cottages, and which are invariably self-sown, 
are not nearly so tender. Even these have collapsed this winter, 
and in most instances a fresh start will have to be made. Those 
who had proper conveniences and were “wise in time” have a 
considerable number of roots stored in pots and boxes under glass, 
and in frames and pits ; but these will be so closely gathered from 
that in but very few cases will there be sufficient to meet the never- 
ceasing demand till such times as abundance will be forthcoming 
from newly raised plants. 
Seeing how proverbially slow Parsley seed is in germinating, 
and the time in which the plants are in reaching a serviceable size, 
it is evident that extraordinary efforts must be made to forward 
them, otherwise the supplies during the next four months will be 
altogether inadequate. Years ago I discovered that Parsley could 
fee forced as readily as Carrots—in fact it was the presence of 
aeedling plants among the Carrots in frames that first suggested 
the idea of forcing Parsley to me. One or two-light frames set on 
^ gentle hotbed, and otherwise prepared as for Carrots, will answer 
well for Parsley. The seed may either be sown in drills 6 inches 
apart or broadcast, and in each case if need be with Radishes 
between or among it. We usually water the surface of the bed or 
the drills, as the case may be, prior to sowing the seed thinly, and 
cover the latter with a little finely sifted soil. It is not long in 
germinating, much naturally depending upon the heat in the bed. 
Unless the seedlings are very thick no thinning is necessary or 
advisable, and a great amount of air need not be admitted, the 
frame, in common with the rest, containing Carrots and other 
vegetables being matted over every evening. Those wh) have a 
few live roots left in the open might well dibble these in between 
the rows of seed, and an early supply of young leaves be obtained 
thereby, the seedlings giving a succession. 
When the young plants are fairly strong, and have tap roots 
nearly the size of the stalk of a Yine leaf, the time has arrived 
for transplanting a considerable number of them to a fairly 
warm border. This ought to be well prepared for their leception, 
being manured and dug early enough for it to become thoroughly 
pulverised. For several years past it has been my custom to pre¬ 
pare a border principally for Parsley, but which also does good 
service as a Shallot and Garlic bed. Bulbs of these are put out 
during February in rows 12 inches apart, and by the time the 
Parsley is ready to dibble out are nearly fully grown, coming off 
long before the latter requires all the space. The Parsley being 
duly dibbled in G inches apart midway between the rows of Garlic 
and Shallots does not suffer greatly from the transplanting, the 
thick tap root doing good service. Without much further trouble 
a fine even bed of Parsley is produced, surpassing in every respect 
any that can be produced without transplanting. We have 
twice missed sowing Parsley in frames during the past ten years, 
and each time had good cause to regret having done so. All 
things considered it is much the most satisfactory plan to raise the 
requisite number of plants in heat, while those left in the seed bed 
©r frames produce fine early leaves, and continue to do so as long 
as needed. All cannot devote a frame to rearing Parsley plants, 
but there is nothing to prevent most gardeners from raising all they 
may require in boxes or pans set in heat.—W. I. 
PRIMULAS AT PERRY HILL. 
Y'e.vr by year it has been a pleasant task to record the advance 
made by Messrs. J. Carter & Co. of High Holborn in the improve¬ 
ment of that important race of Primulas comprising the varieties 
of P. sinensis. Again we have to refer to the subject, for at the 
nrm’s Perry Hill nurseries there is at the present time a bright 
•and beautiful display of these useful plants, surpassing in some 
respects those of previous years, notwithstanding the trying 
meteorological conditions with which cultivators have had to 
■contend. Over GOOO plants are grown for seed bearing alone, and 
to these three large houses are devoted, one fully 150 feet in length 
presenting a Primula exhibition of much interest, as showing what 
has been effected in extending the range of variation, improving 
the colours, the form, the substance, and the size of the flowers. 
It is only by continued close attention during a number of year '* 
that such results can be attained, and the number of carefully 
considered crosses needed to effect any particular object is astonish¬ 
ing. There are so many points to be regarded, as besides the 
floral attractions of the plant the habit demands attention, and in 
this also the advance accomplished is very noticeable. Sturdy- 
compact growing plants with vigorous trusses of flowers borne just 
clear of the foliage, yet not tall enough to appear weakly, are the 
characters required and worked for, and the success achieved is 
well illustrated in the plants at Perry Hill. 
It is unnecessary to enumerate all the varieties represented, as 
they are duly catalogued »nd described, but some of the chief types 
may be noted, the preSx “Holborn” to each indicating its 
origin. Similar classes run through both double and single forms, 
a'so through the two distinct types of “round” and “Fern” 
leaved, so that considerable diversity may be secured by those 
desirous of forming a collection. Queen is a pure white variety 
of great merit, the flowers of fine substance, and the habit 
excellent. Elaine is ivory white, a delicate and pleasing colour, 
good flowers, and free. Magenta, Vermi'ion, Carmine, and Ruby 
represent rich and pure shades of colour, well indicated by their 
names, and are varieties of considerable value and usefulness. The 
blue varieties must also have special mention, for to them much 
attention has been paid in recent years, and the improvement is 
evident in all the qualities that render a Primula desirable. There 
is promise of many more novelties, but the qualities of those named 
have been so well established and proved that it is not easy to 
obtain departures from the types worthy of preservation. 
THE LONG FROST AND INSECT LIFE. 
The recent long and exceptional frost has told and is still 
telling its tale in all directions. Nurserymen, like other folk, have 
not escaped annoyance and actual loss. Evidently it is likely to 
delay somewhat the customary spring orders for seeds and plants, 
by the retardation it has produced generally ; while if it be true 
that the destruction of evergreens and other plants must ultimately 
oblige people to replace these by new stock, nurserymen have 
themselves been sufferers, for taking all precautions possible, they 
could not save many of those species upon which severe and long- 
continued cold is sure to have its effect. Some of our friends, 
however, who try to take the optimist view of matters (which is, 
after all, the better one, for despondency checks wholesome efforts 
to improve things) are encouraging themselves by the supposition 
that a probable result of the intense cold will be a great 
diminution in the number of insect pests during the approaching 
season. 
Now, there are several reasons for hoping that such may be the 
case, especially when we consider the period over which the frost 
extended, at least in the south, for both in the north of England 
and in Scotland it seems, on the whole, to have been less severe. 
But, as I have pointed out, when writing upon the subject in this 
and in other journals, the effects of cold weather upon the insect 
world generally are not so unfavourable as many might think, that 
is to say, cold weather in winter. On the other hand, damp and 
mild winters have been proved beyond all doubt to cause frequently 
the death of a great many hybernating species. Pupae or chrysalids 
that are lying in the earth become sometimes so damp that decay 
commences, and the insects never emerge ; and then again, owing 
to the soil being loosened by the moisture, insect-eating birds are 
able to dig up and devour many kinds that escape them during 
such frosts as we have had this winter. Also the caterpillars which 
hybernate amongst low plants, or on twigs of shrubs and trees, 
suffer from a fungoid malady connected with dampness, by which 
a proportion are killed. No particular effect appears to be caused 
on the eggs of insects by excess of moisture, unless it shou'd in 
conjunction with warmth produce premature hatching. Certainly 
injurious is mild weather early in spring, speedily followed, as is 
not unusual, by strong winds from north or east. Myiiids of cater¬ 
pillars emerge to attack the young buds, but fortunately a con¬ 
siderable number are blown from their food, being small and 
weak, perishing when a few days old. 
Looking particularly at the influences of the lecent long frost, 
it is evident that by its means many insectivorous birds were 
deprived of their usual winter food. They could not possibly break 
up the earth in fields or along the hedgerows, but of course the 
species which occupy themselves with hunting insects in the cracks 
and hollows of trees were not quite so badly off. Upon some 
caterpillars that hybernate the cold might have a somewhat bracing 
effect, and with others it would produce a deeper torpor than 
usual, but they would be none the worse for that, for caterpillais 
have been found actually frozen and hard enough to rattle like 
