December 21, 1895. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
255 
CHINESE PRIMULAS IN THE 
MIDLANDS. 
That the Midlands are noted for Primulas is no 
new assertion, and Birmingham particularly stands 
first as the home of this choice and pretty flower. 
Why this is, or whether there is any special natural 
reason for this, we have been unable to discover, but 
certain it is that a distinct and excellent strain 
exists at Sparkhill, whither we wended our steps 
on a recent occasion to seek out these good things- 
Messrs. Thomson have for the last ten years held 
premier honours in all the open classes, and have 
thus established a record which no one will begrudge 
them. In the absence of any special natural con¬ 
ditions, we may take it that the exceptional care and 
industry which the raisers have devoted to this 
grand strain of Primulas, are alone responsible for 
the unique character of the race. The demand for 
and popularity of the Primula are increasing, and it 
is a fact that each season s orders are in excess of 
the actual supply of seed of these particular 
varieties ; and saving the seed is therefore always a 
matter requiring the most careful and painstaking 
work. 
All the varieties of this grand strain have been 
many times certificated. Commencing with Marquis 
of Lome—a variety of a beautifully free habit—we 
see at once the truly distinctive character of the 
type. A rosy-red, developing to carmine—with red 
stems—are the chief essentials ; Princess Louise is a 
glorious white, with a faint tint of delicate pink, 
green stemmed, and a very strong grower. The 
Queen (Fern leaf) is also a white, perhaps of even 
greater fineness than the preceding variety, and 
many of the blooms seen, were within a fraction of 
3 in. across, and here and there, one slightly ahead 
of that. The variety has been certificated by the 
Royal Horticultural Society twice, and is really an 
exquisite variety of the parent stock. 
In excellent contrast is Emperor, a grandly 
developed salmon-red, shaded carmine. Very 
distinct and recherche, it was raised from the direct 
stock by diligence in careful propagation and 
development, and the results are not always a matter 
of the greatest certainty. We have before us some 
further choice sorts. As we have said, it can alone 
have been due to the patient work of years and 
practical observation that this high status has been 
reached and accomplished. Mont Blanc is perhaps 
the most charming development of any of the result¬ 
ing sorts, having beautifully shaped petals, and 
possessing some of the characteristics in this respect 
of its parent stock, Marquis of Lome, being a 
seedling from that variety. It is a distinct advance 
in purity of colour. Pure white, with red stems, it 
is absolutely free from tints and does not develop 
any tendency to colouring at any period. The 
foliage is substantial, and the growth free and 
healthy. Last season, especially, the plants of this 
variety were phenomenal and became the subject of 
special comment wherever shown. 
Duke of York, from the same stock, is a pleasing 
contrast, a pinkish-mauve, lighting up a bright rose. 
This is also one of the choicest, and reflecting for a 
moment upon the fact that Messrs. Thomson have 
a very extensive sale of Primulas over a wide area of 
the world, it is now somewhat less difficult to under¬ 
stand the reason for this and easy to see that the 
appreciation of the public is only a natural outcome 
and just due to which such excellence in culture 
entitles them. Another development from the same 
parentage is Fairy Queen, an exquisite salmon-rose 
with a green eje, veil defined in character. Her 
Majesty (Fern leaf) a seedling from The Queen, is a 
beautiful one of its kind, similar in colour to Fairy 
Queen, but with a yellow centre and beautifully- 
curved segments. It is of free habit and of unusually 
distinct character. 
The famous twelve which won for their raisers 
premier honours at the great Birmingham show 
consisted of the followingPrincess Louise 
(white). Marquis of Lome, Mont Blanc, 
Duke of York, and Fairy Queen. There were 
no Fern-leaved varieties shown in the twelve, and 
the 1894 exhibit was at the time considered the very 
finest that had been seen, and the general expression 
of opinion was unanimous that the high-water mark 
in Primula culture had been reached. The judges 
at the dinner following the show commented upon 
the exceptionally grand characteristics of the Spark- 
hill Piimulas, of which they had had before them 
such excellent evidence F'or those who prefer the 
Fern-leaved varieties there were also shown some 
beautiful specimens of this section. 
The main difficulty to contend with in the exten¬ 
sion of the Sparkhill Primulas is, as mentioned 
above, the shyness with which the plants seem to 
seed. The common every-day varieties yield a 
much larger percentage of seed; but probably the 
distinction in this respect has its advantages, for if 
the seedlings were stronger it is very possible that 
some points of the strain would be weakened and 
very probably lost altogether. In this and other 
ways therefore, the distinctive character of the strain 
raised and developed during the last twenty years is 
emphasized. Our readers who have hitherto been 
unfamiliar with Messrs. Thomson’s speciality will 
find a visit to their establishment at Sparkhill— 
within easy distance of the City of Birmingham—a 
pleasing and interesting trip. 
THE KITCHEN BURDEN. 
Globe Artichokes.— As we are now likely to have 
weather of a more or less severe character, consider¬ 
ing that winter is on us, Globe Artichokes should be 
well protected if not already done. Straw is 
posTbly the best for the purpose, as it has a 
tendency to ward off the rain from the plants, and 
they do not suffer so readily when dry and in that 
condition as when wet. The damage done by last 
winter's frost is still fresh in our memories, aod no 
doubt those who suffered on that occasion will make 
doubly sure that their plants are well protected, and 
will have profited by that experience. Here in the 
south we have been most fortunate as regards frost 
and snow in relation to green vegetables as compared 
with our friends across the border. 
Autumn Giant Cauliflower is in as good con¬ 
dition now as at any time throughout the autumn with 
those who were fortunate enough to plant a late 
batch. 
Protecting Celery.— Should frost of a severe 
nature set in, a quantity of Celery should be lifted 
and stored in leaf soil sufficiently moist to keep the 
sticks fresh, and where they are safe from the reach 
of frost. Protection will also be necessary for that 
in the open ground, not only to keep out the frost, 
but also to prevent the rain reaching the hearts when 
the ridges are frozen through and a thaw sets in. I 
quite believe the greatest amount of damage is done 
by repeated attacks of frost and rain, the one 
suddenly following the other. Therefore, it becomes 
as necessary to prevent the rain as the frost reaching 
them. A covering of dry litter should be put on six 
inches deep over the trenches; then two boards 
nailed together V-shaped, and laid on the top 
of the trenches lengthwise will keep the sticks in a 
dry state. These boards should be slightly raised 
off the litter to enable the air to circulate freely, and 
thus preserve the foliage as long as is possible. Of 
course it cannot be expected that the leaves will 
retain their green colour as a result of the covering 
of litter should it be necessary to keep it on for 
some time ; but if kept dry and airy it will be longer 
preserved than if the rain reaches it. The litter 
should be remov ed in mild weather, but the boards 
should always be replaced and simply raised up to 
allow a free current of air. 
Parsnips in the open ground should be well 
protected also with litter or leaves, so as to enable 
free access to them in frost, although freezing them 
does not injure them to any extent. 
Potatos.— bee that all Potatos, especially those in 
pits, are thoroughly secure from frost. Where 
bracken is plentiful no better protecting material 
can be had for almost all purposes .—James Gibson, 
Devonhurst, Chiswick. 
4 — 
I 1 V 1 
Conservatory. 
Only the very late Chrysanthemums are now 
worih looking at, and the numbers of these are 
decreasing day by day. Such varieties as Meg 
Merrilees and L. Canning will have flowers on right 
up to Christmas if they have been kept in a cool 
house, and kept back as much as possible, whilst the 
other varieties have been delighting our eyes with 
their beauties. Still, Cnrislmas will be almost sure 
to see the last of them, as a good deal of cut-flower 
is wanted about that period. 
Clerodendron fallax. —This lovely plant 
always is a bright spot in our conservatories in 
autumn. Very few indeed of late flowering subjects 
can vie with it in the rich glowing colour of its huge 
bloom trusses. As soon as the flowers commence to 
drop, the plants must be removed to a warm pit to 
ripen their fruits and seeds ; for, although a cool 
house will do well enough for them while they are in 
flower, heat is necessary if good seed is to be 
obtained. Some people prefer to raise new plants 
from cuttings. In this case, the old plants may be 
kept through the winter, although they will need but 
very little water and in fact may be allowed to get 
pretty well dry at the root. 
Berried Solanums are among the most useful 
and ornamental of plants at this time of the year, 
and, as they are so easy to deal with, a good batch 
should always be grown. They are very effective in 
the conservatory, especially when they are staged in 
groups composed of a dozen or more plants, much 
more so, in fact, than when single plants of them are 
interspersed here and there amongst the other 
subjects. 
Primulas should now be just coming nicely into 
bloom, and as these are a host in themselves there 
will be no lack of colour while they last. Un¬ 
fortunately they are some« hat susceptible to fog and 
damp, and, if the air of the house is allowed to get 
stagnant and full of moisture, the blooms will not be 
very long lived. VVe have now, thanks to our 
florists, innumerable shades of pink and red in 
addition to the pure white aDd the so-called blue. A 
charming variety may be thus obtained. These also 
look very well when arranged in a group with a few 
taller plants such as the hardier Palms, Grevillea 
robusta, small plants of several kinds of Bamboos 
etc., dotted here and there amongst them. It is as a 
front row plant for the side stages, however, that 
Primulas are most in request, and undoubtedly they 
are ideal subjects for this purpose, as properly grown 
plants usually carry enough leaves to partially hide 
the pots, and above these stand the stout flower 
scapes with their large umbels of bloom. 
In speaking of Primulas we must not forget to 
give due and honourable mention to P. obconica, for 
although very different in appearance to the varieties 
of P. sinensis it is not less valuable. It possesses at 
least one important quality which the greater part 
of the Chinese Primulas do not possess, namely, that 
it is very suitable for supplying flowers for cutting, as 
it stands well ia water. In handling the plants it 
may be as well to be somewhat cautious, as the 
leaves are thickly clothed with sharply-pointed hairs 
that exercise a very irritating effect upon sensitive 
skins ; in fact, in some cases producing a rash very 
much like that caused by a stinging-nettle. 
Cyclamens again are just now coming well into 
flower. No matter how well a conservatory may be 
stocked with other plants, if Cyclamens are not in¬ 
cluded in some quantity the collection is not 
complete. The pretiily-mottled and marbled leaves 
with the somewhat stiff, but quaintly beautiful and 
wax-like flowers are always admired, and now that 
the practice of growing on old tubers year after year 
has given place very largely to the more rational 
plan of raising young plants from seed each year, we 
more often see good Cyclamens than we used to. 
Like the Primulas they may be grouped with 
advantage with Ferns and foliage plants, or they may 
be utilised for the front row on the side stages. 
Forced Flowers will soon begin to constitute a* 
large share cf the attraction, and indeed for some 
weeks past pots of Lily of the Valley and Roman 
Hyacinths have been forthcoming. These will be 
followed by other varieties of Hyacinths, Tulips, 
Crocuses, Narcissi, and the other plants belonging to 
this section. Lilacs, Deutzias, Staphjleas and 
Roses also will not be long in making their 
appearance, together with all the other plants that 
usually devote their floral beauties so ungrudgingly 
to the adornment of our conservatories during the 
dull months of the year. 
Freesias. —The earliest batch of these will now 
be in bloom, and will be filling the house with their 
delicious fragrance. The supply of manurial 
stimulant may be curtailed considerably now, as to 
feed the plants as liberally as before would only 
result in shortening the life of the blooms. 
General Hints. —Fire heat will have to be em¬ 
ployed now when the nights are cold and damp, and a 
little is of great service in the morning in conjunction 
with a nice bit of air, as it assists in dispelling the 
moisture with which the atmosphere is laden. A 
night temperature of about 43 0 Fahr should be 
aimed at, with an additional 5 0 tor the day. A higher 
temperature than this would be injurious.— A.S.G. 
