5Iay 3, 1888. J 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
357 
ilistance of 2 feet from row to row, and 1 foot 6 inches from plant 
to plant. The varieties of Broccoli are very numerous. I could 
name dozens, but only grow about six. We begin with Veitch’s 
■Self-protecting Autumn variety, and end with Sutton’s Late Queen. 
Osborn’s Winter is still a good sort, and as a main crop variety we 
grow Webb’s Perfection.—A Kitchen GAunENEU. 
CULTURE OF TflE DOUBLE VARIETIES OF 
PRIMULA SINENSIS. 
i A Paper by W. H. Divers. Kellon Uall. Slamford, read at the Meeting of the Scottish 
Horticultural Association, May 7th, 1886.] 
(Continued from iiaye 334. J 
Treatment op the Young Plants. —For ordinary cuttings 
ihe period of striking will be from four to six weeks, and when the 
roots reach the sides of the pots (which may be known after a little 
experience by the appearance of growth in the top) they may be 
removed from the propagating frame and set on a moist bottom in 
u moderately close house or pit, and gradually accustomed to plenty 
of air, with a little sunshine at times when not very bright, such as 
■early in the morning and after four o’clock in the afternoon. 
Generally speaking, the cuttings will be ready for a shift into 
larger pots about six weeks after they are placed in the pit, pro¬ 
vided they have grown in the meantime without a check. For the 
earliest struck plants that are to flower in November and early 
•winter (if they are growing freely) I prefer 32-size or 6-inch pots 
for the first shift, at any rate for the strongest of them, and this 
•iinswers for a final shift also. If any of the plants are weak we 
place them into 48 or 4-inch pots at first, to be eventually repotted 
if necessary. I know the 32’s or 6-inch pots will be thought too 
large a shift at first by some cultivators, but provided plenty of 
water is supplied with extra care for about three weeks no harm 
•can ensue, and I find it better than checking their growth by 
another shift later in the season. The second supply of cuttings 
for flowering at the end of the season will probably only require 
48’s or 4-inch pots when they are repotted, as it is best to have the 
pots well filled with roots before the cold and damp weather 
of autumn comes on. 
Summer Treatment.— The best place to grow them in after 
"they are potted is a brick pit or a frame facing the south if in the 
’midland and northern parts of England or Scotland. For the south 
of England, such as Kent or Surrey, a northern exposure is best in 
the summer months. Here we find pits from which early Melons 
or Potatoes have been cleared to answer admirably for the young 
Primulas, as they only require the soil to be levelled and about 
'2 inches of coal ashes spread on, and they are then ready for the 
plants. These will still require shading from bright sunshine, but 
should be allowed more exposure as soon as they are established, 
say until seven o’clock in the morning and after five o’clock in the 
afternoon. This is necessary in order to prevent their drawing up 
te an inconvenient length in the foliage. As the sun declines in 
power these hours may be altered accordingly. Plenty of air 
should circulate over the tops of the plants during mild weather 
both day and night. The plants always thrive best when standing 
'on a moist bottom, such as coal ashes, which should be slightly 
stirred occasionally to prevent their being covered with moss. 
When the pots are filled with roots supply liquid manure occa- 
■sionally. I prefer the drainings from a cow yard freely diluted 
with water according to its strength, and given at every second 
watering ; if this cannot be obtained weak guano water may be used, 
•or some sheep dung and soot may be soaked in a tub and the liquid 
freely diluted with water before using. As the weather becomes 
•cooler and frosts commence, less water must be given and no 
more liquid manure, or the roots will perish. When the days are 
shorter and sun heat much less, scarcely any water will be required 
while they remain on the coal ashes, but give them more exposure 
to sun and air to stop growth as much as possible, and to con¬ 
solidate the tissues of the plants. Should any dull damp weather 
occur in October they must be moved to diier quarters, and this 
will be especially necessary if there are no means of heating the 
pit artificially. Shelves or front benches in early vineries will be 
a good position for them, or small span-roofed houses such as are 
used for Melon and Cucumber growing—anywhere, in fact, that is 
dry, well ventilated, near the glass, and that can be kept at a tem¬ 
perature of 45*^ to 50°, there they will flower and flourish to per¬ 
fection. A little weak liquid manure twice a week will again be 
found beneficial, although they do not require it so often or so 
strong as when growing freely. Care should be used in watering 
during the cold damp weather so as not to wet the leaves or pour 
any into the hearts of the plants, all decaying leaves being removed 
as occasion may require. 
A little air must be admitted whenever the weather is at all 
favourable in order to ward otf damp. This circulation of air is 
necessary during all stages of this plant’s existence, and if provision 
is made for it there will be no other great difficulty in the way of 
successful cultivation. In order to obtain this circulation of air 
among the plants more effectually during the winter season, those 
required to be kept at rest early in the winter for flowering the 
following spring must be placed in larger and more lofty houses if 
possible, as they will not then require so much fire heat to expel 
the dampness. I lately saw some plants of the old Double White at 
Burghley which had passed the winter in a cold house—that is, a 
house which has no convenience for artificial heating, and 15° of 
frost had been registered outside. How low the temperature went 
inside could not be ascertained, but the soil was frozen hard in the 
pots. These plants were in good health, and had a certain amount 
of Rowers on them of good quality, although not such a quantity 
as those had in a higher temperature. It is only fair to say they 
had not been very liberally treated in other ways. I would not, 
however, recommend so low a temperature by any means, and only 
mention the circumstance to show whal an amount of hardship 
they will endure, and that anyone who has not all the advantages I 
have mentioned need not be deterred from cultivating them. 
Varieties.— Besides the old Double White or alba plena, there 
are, as already mentioned, several newer and so-called improved 
varieties. For yielding a large quantity of flowers and for general 
usefulness I prefer the old variety, but as specimen plants, and for 
mounting as separate flowers, the newer varieties are certainly a 
great advance, and when well grown are extremely pretty. Among 
the best of these are the varieties sent out by the late Mr. Osborn 
of Fulham called Gilbert’s Burghley varieties, but really raised 
or selected as sports by Mr. Harris of Denne Park, Horsham, 
while gardener at Naseby Woolleys, Rugby. It has laeen stated 
they were raised from seed, but, if so, it is a curious circum¬ 
stance that all four varieties sport into each other, and have 
also produced another distinct shade of colour since they were first 
sent out. 
The best are Lord Beaconsfield, carmine red, and Marchioness 
of Exeter, large white, generally striped and spotted with pale 
lilac. I have grown individual flowers of the latter variety here 
which measured over 6 inches in circumference. Besides these I 
have at various times met with the following good varieties— 
candidissima, an improved form of the old Double AVhite ; Mrs. 
Eyre Crabb, Princess of Wales, and Blushing Beauty, all of which 
are white grounds more or less striped and shaded with pink. 
Among reds and purples are atro-rosea, carminata plena. Emperor, 
King of the Purples, magnifica, purpurea erecta, and rubra grandi- 
flora may be mentioned, all of which are worth cultivating for the 
sake of variety, although, as a rule, they are not such free growers 
as the old Double White. Many of these newer varieties were at 
one time grown remarkably well by Mr. R. Kingston of Brantingham 
Thorpe. 
Shading Late-flowering Plants. —Early in February, if 
the weather is very bright, it will be found necessary to shade 
plants in flower during the hottest part of the day. After the 
dark days of winter the plants are apt to flag very much, and if 
not duly attended to the flowers soon fade in consequence. 
Insects. —The double Primula has one great advantage over 
many of the plants we are called on to cultivate, it is not subject 
* to the ravages of insects. I have only found two kinds of any 
trouble, and these not seriously so. Mealy bug will sometimes 
take up a residence among the remains of the old dry leafstalks, 
and if it does so I need scarcely to caution gardeners against in¬ 
troducing the plants into their vineries and fruit houses. The 
bug may easily be cleared away from these plants. The other 
pest is the larva of one of the weevils (Otiorhynchus sulcatus), 
which, in the form of a small white grub eats its way into the 
stem of the plant just below the surface of the soil, and continues 
feeding on it until eventually the plant withers. I know of no 
means to prevent this, as there is no evidence of anything being 
amiss until the plant begins to droop, but all the mischief is done 
then. Fortunately it is not of very frequent occurrence. The 
perfect insect is a small dark-coloured weevil, which is very fond 
of the leaves of Camellias, Vines, and Peaches. I have an idea 
that the use of cocoa-nut refuse for potting purposes encourages 
this insect, and therefore I have not recommended its use, although 
I know Primulas are very fond of it. 
I have now carefully given every particular necessary to grow 
these plants to perfection. If any have been wearied by so many 
small details, I claim their forgiveness for the sake of the younger 
members of the profession. It is only by strict attention to the 
smallest matters that one can excel in the cultivation of double 
Primulas, or of anything else. 
[In the previous article, p. 334, second column, line forty-five 
from the top, “ when the ventilators are open” should read “ when 
the ventilators are not open.’'] 
