CHINESE PRIMROSES. 
I noticed in the December number of the Cabinet an 
inquiry from a lady asking the editor what house-plants 
she could have in her bay-window, with north-eastern 
exposure. 
I should think it would be just the place for Primroses 
to grow in perfection. They like to be kept cool, and not 
have direct sun. 
It is a very simple matter to raise Primroses from seed 
—if one knows how. I have been quite successful, and 
will tell you how I manage. 
To begin with, I want the best seed, which can be ob¬ 
tained from any reliable seedsman; the time of planting 
depends on the time you wish them to come into bloom. 
Year before last I sowed the seed the first of June, the 
plants coming into bloom in November. Last year I 
delayed sowing until the first of July, and they began to 
bloom about Christmas. I think they flower longer 
when planted later, but they should not be planted later 
than July first, as the weather is so hot the seed will not 
germinate. 
I planted the seed in a cigar box in finely sifted loam, 
well packed down, the seed sown thinly, then dry moss 
sifted over, sufficient to cover the seed—no more; water 
carefully through a fine Rose watering-pot, and put in a 
cool place in the shade. They need looking after; if the 
Surface of the soil gets dry, water just enough to moist¬ 
en it; when the plants appear, they should be set in the 
light, but not in the direct sun. When they have two 
pairs of leaves they should be transplanted into thumb 
pots: the soil should be rich and light, rotted sod and 
well decayed stable manure. It should be mixed before 
wanted for use; when used, sifted fine, as the roots of 
Primroses are very fine. Now for the process. Pill as 
many pots as you need even full; with a'flat piece of 
stick (a plant-label does very well), take up one of the 
tiny seedlings, make a hole with your finger in the earth; 
drop in the plant, carefully pressing the earth around it; 
do not set it any lower than it was before, nor let the 
earth get between the leaves, it is apt to rot the stem. 
When all are done, water, and set in a cool place; shade 
for a few days if the sun is hot; if the weather is cloudy 
they need not be shaded. When they have filled these 
pots with roots (which you can easily tell by turning 
one out on your hand), they should be re-potted into 
three inch pots, and again into four-inch, always doing 
it before they are pot-bound, as this will stop their 
growth. 
Some will remain in the four-inch pots all winter,. 
while others will need re-potting into five-inch. Atleast 
this has been my experience; some varieties grow more' 
vigorous than others. Primroses like to be kept cool out 
of the hot sun, but want plenty of light. I have heard 
ladies say that Primroses they bought at green-houses 
did well all winter, but when warm weather came and 
they put them out of doors with the rest of their plants, 
they died. What was the reason ? They had become 
weakened by excessive blooming; putting them out in 
the hot sun and drying winds of spring was too much for 
them. The plants have grown up out of the pots and 
look top heavy; take them out of the pots, shake off the 
earth, cut off the lower roots and yellow leaves, and put 
in one size smaller pot. Instead of setting them with 
the other plants put them in a cold frame,which is simply 
a box without top or bottom,, set on the surface of the 
ground (put some coal ashes on the bottom to keep the 
earth-worms out), with a window sash fitted to it, the 
glass white-washed to keep out direct sun. I Keep the 
sash raised to let in light and air; should there be a se¬ 
vere storm, the sash goes down and the plants are safe 
from the rain, which disfigures the leaves and rots them. 
They should be carefully watered, just enough to keep 
them from wilting, not wetting the leaves. All flower buds 
should be cut off. The first of September the plants 
should be re-potted into five or six-inch pots, according 
to their size, and they will come into bloom by the mid¬ 
dle of November. My experience has been that plants 
the second year are much larger, have more spikes of 
bloom, but the individual flowers are not as large. I 
keep the young plants in the cold frame with the others. 
Bring them into the house when the nights grow cool. 
At first put them into a room without a fire, and gradu¬ 
ally bring them into the warm room. Mine do best at a 
north-east or north-west window, where they have plenty 
of light, but little sun. Do not move them after they 
have set their buds; keep every faded flower cut off; 
they will go to seed, and that stops their blooming. 
There are many beautiful varieties of Primroses, from 
pure white to deep crimson, plain, striped and spotted. 
If you buy mixed seed, you will be likely to get a good 
variety of colors. 
I hope many ladies will cultivate this charming flower 
the coming season. I know they will be amply repaid 
for all their trouble. 
Mrs. M. Pltjmstead. 
PICTURESQUE GARDENING. 
WATER SCENES AND ROCK WORK. 
In the practical work of planning and laying out small 
places, the great difficulty is in giving them a distinctive 
and individual character. 
On a large place where a wide area spreads out on all 
sides, there will be natural features, which may be so ju¬ 
diciously dealt with that, even with a poor view, flat, com¬ 
mon-place surface and a paucity of beautiful surround¬ 
ings, a charming landscape picture may be produced. 
Garden scenes have wonderfully improved during the 
last half century, partly under the influence of fashion, 
but more under the teachings of correct taste. 
We think we may venture to make the assertion, 
that water is rarely used to such an extent as it might 
and should be as a picturesque feature in. our grounds, 
and very frequently^abundant supplies of it are looked 
upon as a calamity rather than a blessing, and every 
