78 
House & Garden 
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THE TOGAN-STILES COMPANY 
GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. 
ADDRESS DEPT. C 
FROM TWO GARDENERS’ NOTEBOOKS 
Notes on the Hardy Primroses—Controlling the 
Mealy Bug on Indoor Plants 
P MEGASEOEFOLIA.—This is one is easily recognized. Its body is cov- 
of the most recent introductions, ered with a white waxy mass which 
• and was brought about seven gives to it the common name of mealy 
years ago by W. Sprenger of Naples bug. When the waxy mass is brushed 
from the mountains of Laristan in Asia or washed off, the body is seen to be a 
Minor. Fortunately, it is not in the brownish color. The adult insect is 
least difficult to grow. It is more a prim- barely one-eighth of an inch in length 
rose for the Alpine or cold house than and its width is scarcely one-half as 
for the open garden, the reason being great. 
its winter-flowering habit. It is readi- It reproduces very rapidly and reaches 
ly recognized by the round, leathery maturity in a few weeks so that an 
leaves and soft lilac or rose-purple efficient method of control is necessary 
flowers. The way to increase it is by to rid the infected plant of this pest or 
dividing the root directly the flowers even to hold it in check. There are 
are over, and the pieces may be either three methods of control which have 
potted in a mixture of sandy loam and been widely used; namely, fumigation 
leaf mold and kept in a cold frame, spraying and the spread of its natural 
or planted in the rock garden. It is enemies. In the window garden these 
advisable to grow it in a frame facing methods are all impracticable as they 
north during the summer months. are also to a greater or less extent in 
P. minima .—As the name indicates, the greenhouse. Many plants which are 
this is one of the smaller in size of the attacked by the mealy bug are more 
hardy primroses. It makes a little tuft, sensitive to most fumigants than is the 
but the flowers are large, and some- insect itself. For example, the mealy 
times appear singly and sometimes in bug is only very slightly affected by a 
pairs, the color being violet-rose. This concentration of hydrogen-cyanide gas 
is one of the primroses for the bog which kills the coleus plant. A practice 
garden, or moist soil in moderate shade, which has become fairly common among 
With this may be associated the charm- greenhouse men and is also being used 
ing P. nivalis, which also delights in to a considerable extent even in the 
moisture. citrus orchard, is the use of water un- 
P. Parryi .—Another moisture-loving der pressure, sprayed from a suitable 
primula from the Rocky Mountains of nozzle to dislodge forcibly the insect 
Colorado, the flowers rich crimson in from the plant. The female mealy bug 
color and produced in large umbels. It does not fly and so if dislodged from 
is one of the most beautiful of the fam- the plant and particularly if washed 
ily, and must have a moist, spongy, away some distance, it is not likely to 
well-drained soil. Seeds germinate very find its way back. In the greenhouse 
freely, and young plants may be grown it has been found a good practice to 
in small pots plunged in a shady frame. lay the potted plant on its side on the 
The soil to use is peat and loam mixed floor or on a low bench near a drain 
with leaf-mould. so that the insects may be washed off 
P. rosea .—This is one of the gems of and into the drain. Plants in the win- 
the family, and should be in every bog dow garden may be carried out of doors 
garden for the sake of its bright rose- and the insects washed off and left be- 
colored flowers, which vary in shade hind. 
according to the variety. It came from The mealy bug sticks to the plant 
the Western Himalayas in 1879, and, very tightly and so it is quite difficult 
fortunately, offers no cultural diffi- to dislodge it by a spray of water. It 
culties whatever, spreading freely when has been found, and this is the im- 
in a moist peaty soil not freely exposed portant contribution of this article, that 
to the sun. This species thrives in the the insect is much more easily dislodged 
shady bank, as do the majority of the by very cold water than by water at 
other species. Moisture without stag- the temperature that is usually supplied 
nation and a soil in which peat forms a to the greenhouse. It also appears that 
large proportion constitute ideal con- the eggs of the insect, which are ex- 
ditions. When increase by division of ceedingly difficult to dislodge by a spray 
the root is desired this should be ac- of water, are more effectively removed 
complished after the flowering is over, by very cold water. A single, careful 
This is the time most advisable in the washing with very cold water has en¬ 
case of all the primroses, whether tirely freed the window garden of the 
species or otherwise. We have more pest. With water at a higher tempera- 
than once advocated a little alpine house ture several washings are usually neces- 
in the garden, and one of the first plants sary even when all adults are apparent- 
chosen to be grown in a pan should be ly removed. 
P. rosea and its variety grandiflora. -^,6 Cold Water Supply 
During the summer it may be placed 
in a north frame, and at the time of This cold water idea may be con- 
potting, the soil to use is peat and veniently taken advantage of in the 
loam in about equal parts, with the winter time for greenhouse control by 
usual crocks in the bottom of the pots placing a barrel outside the greenhouse 
to act as drainage. at a convenient height to give the re- 
P. viscosa .—Few of the primulas are quired pressure, filling it with water and 
better known that this vigorous plant after it has become almost ice-cold it 
which is found on the Alps and Pyrenees, may be siphoned out through a garden 
and the flowers vary greatly in color hose and the infected plants carefully 
from deep purple to white. It is a sprayed. If the spraying is thoroughly 
kind for the rock garden, where it sue- done with very cold water from a 
ceeds well in gritty soil and between suitable nozzle the insect is quickly dis- 
bits of sandstone. lodged and washed away. A single thor- 
W. R. Gilbert. ough washing will hold the insect in 
check for several weeks and a persist- 
HE mealy bug is one of the most ent effort over a period of a few weeks 
common pests of indoor plants. Its will entirely remove the pest from the 
destructive work extends from the greenhouse. Unfortunately, not all green- 
window garden to the greenhouse and house troubles are as easily overcome, 
even to the citrus orchard. This insect T. 0. Smith. 
