238 WINDOW GARDENING. 
great advantage which the Primrose possesses over most winlcr flowering plants 
is that it is rarely ever infested with green fly or other troublesome pests. 
Primroses are propagated mainly by cuttings and seeds. Cuttings taken from the 
side shoots in April will make vigorous plants by autumn. From June to Octo- 
ber they should be kept from the hot sun, in a shady location, with but little 
water. The soil should be largely composed of leaf mould. 
The single varieties are largely grown from seed which should be sown in April 
or May, under a square of glass ; when four or five leaves are developed, plant 
in small thumb pots, and shade for two or three days. During the summer 
keep the pots in a shady location, but in the winter the nearer they are to the 
glass the better and bri^ihter will they flower. 
If any unusually tine flowers reward your care, they can be increased by cut- 
tings. The Primrose is a perennial ; tlio seed is usually sold in mixed colors, 
but they can be recognized nearly as soon as the leaves appear, by the color of 
the stems. No plant flowers more profusely, and sometimes five hundred florets 
are gathered from one plant. 
The Pansy. 
The Pansy never blooms so well as when the plant is small and well rooted, 
for as it increases in size the blossoms become smaller, and, although abundant, 
inferior. They can be cut back after spring flowering, and all the buds kept off" 
until December, then they will bloom for the whole winter. If planted in boxes 
in a conservatory or window, they make a fine show; indeed, there are few 
plants more desirable for window gardening. 
They are most easily raised from seed, and it is well to purchase the most ex- 
pensive varieties, so as to be certain of the finest flowers. 
Cuttings strike quickly, and are more sure of fine flowers, as they always re- 
produce the parent plant. They should be cut about three inches long, and taken 
from the points of the shoot.s, and cut off" directly under the joint. Strip off" the 
lower leaves, and insert them in saucers of wet sand, pressing it closely around 
the joint. Keep tumblers over them, and in six weeks they will be well rooted 
and ready to transplant into small pots filled with the richest compost. 
Pansies are gross feeders, delighting in the richest soil you can prepare ; in 
rotten tanbark, leaf manure, and cow manure, equal parts, they will bloom mag- 
nificently. 
No plant is better adapted to house culture, as they can bear changes of atmos- 
phere, and a good deal of water, while their bright faces are very attractive in 
the gloomy wintry days. 
They can be increased by dividing the roots, and keeping them in the shade 
for a week or ten days. If the amateur desires to save seed from her plants, 
she should select the largest, brightest flowers, and cut off all other buds and 
blossoms. As the seed pod matures it can be tied up in gauze to prevent the 
seed from scattering, and when fully ripe, can be planted directly in sandy loam. 
When the seedlings flower those should be rejected that are not very handsome 
