May 15, 1886. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
583 
THE BEST HARDY PRIMULAS. 
( Continued from p. 567.) 
P. Munroi (syn. involucrata), a modest beauty, not 
possessed of the brilliancy or even vigour of many 
species, still it is a very simple plant and pleasing 
too, and its requirements are equally simple. I have 
succeeded capitally with it in very ordinary soil beside 
a quick-set hedge, and here it grew and flowered con¬ 
tinuously for weeks. Among smaller things in the 
drier portions of the bog it is equally well at home, 
and in still moister positions near the margin of a 
stream, so that it may be said to be at home in any 
position. It comes from Northern India, and has 
creamy white heads of flowers which are produced in 
profusion for about two months ; these are fragrant. 
It grows 8 ins. or 10 ins. high, and may readily be 
increased by division and also by seeds. 
P. nivea (Snowy Primrose).—There are for this lovely 
snow-white gem a variety of synonyms ; for a long 
period it was known as P. nivalis, and again as a 
variety of P. viscosa, i.e., alba ; while it is still to be 
found in lists as P. viscosa nivalis. At the present 
moment it is not part of my intention to decide which 
it may be, for call if what we may, its loveliness remains 
the same. It is a dwarf and distinct plant, of compact 
habit, growing about 4 ins. high when well-established, 
and producing lovely compact trusses of pure white 
flowers ; in point of purity it is without a rival and 
should receive every encouragement. It is of that section 
of Primulas of which P. marginata and P. viscosa may 
he cited as instances, which form woody or stout stems, 
and which require annual attention, either to divide 
them and plant them down to the leaves, or to earth 
them up, if circumstances will permit, with very sandy 
loam, and so encourage fresh roots from the arborescent 
stems. In cases where the latter can be done, it is 
better than the former, especially so with plants on the 
open rockery or border, inasmuch as the best time for 
dividing them is just after flowering, and this is at the 
end of May, when we generally expect bright sunny days, 
which are not favourable to any Primulacea which is 
just divided. Another plan is to remove the soil from 
about the neck of the plant and endeavour to peg it 
down in the soil, or at least even with the surface, and 
then cover them up ; this will also encourage breaks 
from the joints of the stems and likewise from the 
centre of the plant. It is an excellent way to form 
ultimately handsome patches, for one will never boast 
of having an over-abundance of this charming and 
fragrant Primrose. It succeeds well in well-drained 
loamy sojl, and about a third of peat added, using 
plenty of grit or broken brick rubbish, and prefers a 
somewhat shady position. It is a native of the Alps, 
and should, in the growing season, have abundance of 
moisture. 
Primula obconica .—In this we have a charmingly 
interesting species of some importance—in fact, a really 
valuable addition to the long list of good things which 
this genus possesses. In general habit and foliage it 
strongly resembles the Cortusa-leaved Primula, but in 
all other respects is quite distinct from it. The leaves 
are obovate-cordate, with crenate margins, forming a 
tufted and somewhat spreading rosette from which the 
flower-scapes perpetually issue. It is, by being a per¬ 
petual flowerer, quite unique, inasmuch as it never 
seems to tire, nor does it, after flowering for months in 
succession, appear to lose either energy or produce 
smaller flowers. We have.no other in these respects to 
vie with it, and seeing that its flower-spikes are produced 
so freely (as many as twenty qr thirty in an 8-in. pot), 
its value in a cut state is not of minor importance. 
The flowers are produced in umbels, each containing 
from twelve to eighteen flowers, so that the reader may 
readily find, in casting these totals together, what an 
assemblage of these charming flowers there are to be 
had on a single plant. Indeed, of no other species can 
such a fact be recorded, and it should be in every col¬ 
lection of plants where cut flowers are in great demand. 
It stands well in a cut state, and need I add another 
word in its praise. Its cultural requirements are as 
simple as that of P. sinensis, and by adopting the same 
routine in respect to soil and the like, P. obconica will 
outstrip the sinensis section completely. For mixing 
in vases, epergnes, and such like, its elegant flowers 
show to good advantage. It has a great future before 
it and is not likely to be lost sight of easily. To 
Messrs. Yeitch & Sons fell the honour of its introduc¬ 
tion from China, where it was discovered in the 
neighbourhood of Ichuny. Hence it cannot be regarded 
as a perfectly hardy plant, nor do I advocate it as such. 
Though it will endure our milder winters very well, the 
plant is not likely to do itself justice or the description 
I have here given it ; but those who would have 
Primula obconica in perfection should grow it well, 
and treat it as liberally as though he were growing 
P. sinensis vars. for a ten guinea cup, and if the results 
are not equivalent to what I have here set forth, let it 
be universally condemned. It comes freely from seeds, 
and may also be had by division. Since it received the 
above name, given it by Messrs. Yeitch, it has been 
figured and described by Sir J. D. Hooker in The 
Botanical Magazine, under the name of P. poculiformis. 
— E. J. ( To be continued.) 
-- 
Scottish Gardening. 
Seasonable Notes. —Vegetable Marrows are, by 
some, much valued, but by comparatively few so much 
as they ought to be—though one of the most easily 
grown vegetables in warm southern parts ; but this 
cannot be said where the seasons are later, and there is 
less of sunshine. To have marrows early, where forcing 
them is not practised, plants should now be of good size, 
of stiff healthy growth, having been grown with as 
little coddling as possible. A trench made 1J ft. deep 
(in any sheltered position, with free exposure to the 
sun), and 3 or 4 ft. wide ; a quantity of manure leaves, 
mowings from lawns, or such material as will give a 
gentle warmth should be put in it, over which must be 
placed the soil, firmly, covering the manure. The 
plants are placed about 4 or S ft. apart, with free 
kindly soil next the roots ; hand-lights or plant pro- 
tectors are placed over the plants, and looked closely 
after till they are into free growth, and with plenty of 
space to spread, there will soon be an abundance of 
fruit. After Potatos in frames or other structures, 
Vegetable Marrows and Ridge Cucumbers do well, they 
both require the same treatment, and when well estab¬ 
lished, the protection may be removed for other purposes. 
A frame-work may be put over the plants in September, 
and if early frost should set in, such as last year, a 
covering of mats or other material may be thrown over 
the plants, which will save them till they are exhausted 
by cold and wet. In favoured districts we have often 
grown abundance of Vegetable Marrows on heaps of 
waste soil; and on warm borders with holes dug into 
the firm soil, and filled in with good stuff to start the 
plants into active growth. Mulching with short litter 
when the season is more advanced, is a practice much 
in favour by practical men. 
Melons are comparatively easy to grow after this 
season, but to get them safely to the fruiting period 
they require much attention. "When grown in frames 
they are often allowed to become too thickly crowded, 
which prevents setting. Much mischief is sometimes 
done by the absence of fresh air and a close high temper¬ 
ature. The old-school system (for frame culture) is the 
best in every way, and if the plants do not arrive so 
quickly at the fruiting period, they bear good crops 
with greater certainty, and, by the free airing system, 
the flavour is better. "We may add to this that the 
disease, so troublesome in some parts, is not so likely 
to put in an appearance. 
We have (in Southerly parts) trodden the soil firmly 
after the Potato crops have been removed from pits and 
frames, planted strong Melon plants, and had the best 
crops which we could desire—at the present time and 
in our present position, such a practice is impracticable. 
Growing Melons in pots has many advantages, the 
plants have a strong tendency to set fruit; the fruit, 
we have always found, with roots in curtailed space is 
heavy in proportion to their size, with a great depth of 
flesh, and of good flavour. A practice we followed for 
many years with mid-season and late Melons was to 
establish the plants well in medium-sized pots, leave 
large holes in their bottoms, and place them into larger 
sized pots three-parts filled with firm soil. This is a 
system for which we have much favour. Tomatos 
grown in this manner fruit freely and take up little 
room. The narrow pits in which we saw such excellent 
Tomatos growing at Dunkeld, at the back of low houses, 
could scarcely be surpassed. 
Earthing Up is not so much in vogue now as it 
was in the days of our youth, and, except with Potatos, 
the practice never had favour at our hands. The 
absence of this system, so general in market gardens, 
long since convinces us that “earthing up” such crops 
as Peas, Beans, and the brassica family of plants, was 
labour thrown away, if not doing real injury to the 
crops by throwing off rains when moisture is so much 
wanted. However, Cabbage, Curled Kale, and some 
other plants in damp positions, may be earthed up 
when they are to remain through the winter. Deep 
drills drawn, such as we are doing at the present time, 
for Cauliflowers and other plants now being turned out, 
gives shelter, allows moisture to reach the roots freely, 
and when growth is far enough advanced, a good hoeing 
will push the soil nicely round the collars of the plants, 
and give all the “earthing up ” necessary. "With Potatos 
in this district, we observed, that the practice of running 
the plough through the furrows, throwing the soil well up 
on each side to the stems of the plants, is a matter of 
great moment with cultivators of the much-valued 
tuber in fields ; and we have seen many immense fields 
of splendid Potatos in this county (Stirling). In 
gardens it may be well to draw some soil over the young 
tops as they come through the soil, to protect them 
from late frost. A general hoeing among all growing 
crops should have timely attention ; this should 
precede earthing up, but it is of primary importance, 
apart from the destruction of weeds.— M. T. 
-- 
The Amateurs’ Garden, 
THE VEGETABLE GARDEN. 
Only a few weeks have elapsed since we were lament¬ 
ing the long continuance of wet and cold weather, yet 
a brief period of bright hot sunshine has rendered us 
eager for rain. It is surprising how rapidly the soil 
dried after the weather changed ; and many vegetable 
crops, which had been previously checked by cold, 
seemed in danger of suffering, in an equal degree, from 
the drought. Happily, as we write, the rain has 
returned, and vegetation is being most agreeably re¬ 
freshed. Now will be the time for transplanting seed¬ 
lings, and young vegetables of any kind that have to 
be transferred from pots or pans to their permanent 
quarters, as they will not feel the change much, and 
the selection of a suitable time for such operations is 
one of the secrets of success in cultivation. The 
moisture that encourages the growth of the useful crops 
will equally stimulate the weeds, and unless these are 
kept under now, they will prove a fruitful source of 
trouble throughout the season. 
Corners are generally the places where weeds are most 
likely to be overlooked ; and they are too often allowed 
to seed at will, unchecked and probably unnoticed, 
regardless of the fact that seeds are scattered very 
widely by various means, and the most noxious weeds 
increase the most rapidly. Clear all such storehouses, 
and if time cannot be spared to destroy the plants, at 
least prevent their seeding by cutting them down with 
an old scythe or hook. To destroy weeds effectually 
by hoeing, a dry bright day should be selected, as, if 
the weeds are then pulled from the ground, and laid 
on the surface, a few hours’ exposure effectually pre¬ 
vents their recovery. 
THE GREENHOUSE. 
A few hints have been given upon the treatment of 
Vines in conservatories or greenhouses, where they are 
now frequently seen, and where they are also admirably 
adapted for covering the roof, affording an agreeable 
shade to the plants beneath at the hottest time of year, 
and with a little careful treatment they can also be 
induced to yield a satisfactory crop of useful Grapes. 
These may not be so fine as exhibition fruit, but they 
are often more satisfactory than that, in one very im¬ 
portant respect, namely, of flavour, for we have had Grapes 
from cool houses that were fir fora Duchess to eat, though 
they might not have been considered grand enough in 
appearance to adorn her grace’s dinner table. Vines in 
such houses are now growing freely, and the shoots 
must be thinned and stopped according to the strength 
of the Vine and the crop it is desired to produce. The 
laterals should be stopped at the second leaf beyond 
the bunch, and if there are several laterals from one 
stem, they can be reduced to one if the Vines are weak, 
or if more are allowed to remain; an abundant foliage is a 
means of invigorating weakly or partly exhausted Vines, 
then the bunches should be taken off the other laterals. 
Syringe freely morning and evening until the flowers 
open, when it may be lessened or withheld for a day or 
two, until it is seen that the berries are set. Damp the 
house freely, and be sure that the border is well supplied 
with water.— Scolytus. 
