AUGUST I, 1902. 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER, 
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CYCLAMENS. 3x 
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@N interesting article on the Auricula 
appeared inthe Gardeners’ Magazine from 
the pen of Mr. J. Douglas, a specialist, who 
gives some practical information upon the 
subject. He says :— : 
Many persons fail to grow the Auricula 
(Primula) to anything like perfection, and, 
for my part, I have been many times puzzled 
to know why even good gardeners seldom 
have a collection of presentable plants of 
this lovely spring flower. I read some- 
where (when I was a. young gardener 
struggling upwards) of a gentleman who 
was complimented by a friend on the hand- 
some pine-apples in his garden. His 
remark, in reply, I have never forgotten, 
“Yes, the pines are very good; we can 
grow pines, but we seldom have a good 
cabbage.” ‘The remark taught me to attend 
to all the minor details of the garden. 
Amongst the “small potatoes” we may 
class the Auricula, and I fear it is very often 
overlooked, not being important enough for 
the attention of the gardener. Fora week orso 
after repotting, the lights must be kept over 
the plants, affording ventilation at the back ; 
if this is not done the leaves flag, and many 
of them decay. As the result of much 
experience, I have entirely given up the use 
of artificial manures for the Auriculas, The 
last I tried was powdered bones (if this may 
be termed artificial manure), but even used 
in very small qnantities a gross growth was 
produced, causing a lack of refinement in 
the flowers; for whether it is the show 
Auricula or the section termed alpine, 
refinement is absolutely necessary. 
A considerable degree of ignorance still 
prevails as to the distinction between show, 
fancy, and alpine Auriculas, In the first 
place, it is necessary to define the first 
parentage. The show and fancy varieties 
have descended from the Alpine Primula 
Auricula, and the alpines also from an 
Alpine plant, Primula pubescens. There 
are other. species of Alpine Primula that may 
well be claimed as progenitors of our garden 
Auriculas,. 
Alpine Varieties.—There is really not 
nearly so great variety among the Alpine 
Auricula, but for exhibition purposes there 
are two sections—the gold-centred varieties 
are in one, and the cream or white-centred 
in the other. Those with yellow centres 
have the margin marone shading to red, 
and even crimson of. various shades, while 
the cream-centred varieties are purplish- 
marone, or marone shading to various tints 
of purp!e or lilac-purple. This almost 
points to a different specific origin. The 
object of the hybridist is to obtain more 
varied colours in this section, and, indeed, 
within the last few years we have several of 
quite apricot and bronze tints, 
Cultural Remarks.—These need not be 
very long. The repotting and such details 
are not different from that of other plants. 
To three or four parts of good loam add one 
of decayed manure and one of leaf-mould. 
This makes an excellent potting soil. The 
flower pots require good drainage, and pot 
firmly; but do not use large flower pots. 
Even for vigorous growers I do not.care to 
use larger sizes than four and a-half inches 
diameter inside measure. Some persons 
have an idea that the fanciers of sixty or 
seventy years ago knew better how to grow 
Auriculas than the fanciers of these degene- 
rate days. This is an error, founded in 
ignorance of the treatment meted out to 
the plants by the old-time florists. They 
made two serious mistakes; they used a 
compost that was far too rich, and flower 
pots very much too large. A noted florist 
advises the “following compost for strong 
blooming plants of Auriculas :—One barrow 
of sound staple loam, one barrow of dried 
nightsoil, two barrows of sheep, cow, or 
poultry manure; mixed in blood from the 
slaughterhouse in equal quantities.” Any 
practical gardener could guess how long the 
“strong blooming plants” would remain 
strong after being potted in such a mess. 
Seedlings.—Many amateurs fancy that if 
they purchase a packet of green, grey, or 
white-edged Auricula seed, that the seedling 
plants will be of the same type. This is 
also an error, for a large proportion will be 
selfs, some will be nondescripts belonging 
to no class, and may be placed amongst the 
fancies if good enough, As soon as the 
plants have formed the first leaf} after the 
seed leaves, they must be pricked out; but 
it must be noted that some of the seed will 
not germinate for six months, and some of 
it perhaps not for a twelve month or more. 
The plants must all be grown on in garden 
frames, and be freely ventilated, The treat- 
ment of Alpine Auriculas, if grown in flower 
pots is the same as that for the show sec- 
tion, but they are certainly more hardy and 
easier to grow well; but, being so hardy, 
they may be grown out of doors; and all 
of them are well adapted for culture in the 
rock garden, where they become established 
and produce fine masses of bloom. 
Planting Window Boxes. 
—_—0o—— 
OST householders expend considerable 
XZ sums ofmoney, time, andcareupon win- 
dow boxes filled with flowers that so nearly re- 
semble those of most of the neighbours that 
passers-by, their eyes satiated with red, 
white, and blue or yellow colours, are really 
quite unable to appreciate the costly display, 
Geraniums, white marguerites, blue lobelia, 
and golden calceolaries are very pretty ; but, 
when half the house-fronts down a street 
show these flowers, in the same mixtures, 
familiarity breeds weariness, if not contempt, 
- At this happy season of the year, when 
tempting offers of cheap plants for bedding- 
out are overwhelmingly numerous, it should 
become a delightful exercise for the garden- 
er’s skill and taste to choose plants for his 
window that shall be at once lovely, lasting, 
and uncommon. Nor need he seek after 
real novelties ; it is easy to make uncommon 
efforts by the use of quite ordinary plants, 
which, however, happened to be seldom em- 
ployed in this particular service, 
' 
aS 
Hydrangeas are among the best flowers 
‘possible for window decoration, either in 
sunshine or shade, where their height is not 
a disadvantage. The pink kinds do best in 
sunshine, the white in shade, so, to avoid a 
cold effect in shadow, the rest of each box 
where the white are used should be planted 
with scarlet or pink-flowered or red foliaged 
plants. Of the last named coleuses are 
suitable for use during genuine summer 
weather, and Chilian beet may be relied 
upon. Red begonias are well adapted 
for growing with white hydrangeas. THe 
pink hydrangeas look lovely among bright 
violet or purple . violas. ye 
For window boxes to be filled with low 
plants, in order not to darken the rooms 
within, fairy roses on-a carpet of pale blue 
nemophila are not easy to improve upon. 
Pale pink asters with deep. pink verbenas, 
to hang over in front, or the crimson-flowered 
ivy-leaved ‘geranium, give a bright bit of 
colour. The so-called yellow asters and 
golden pansies will do for a shady spot. 
Perhaps amateur gardeners experience most 
trouble in directing what to grow in 
extremely sunny hot windows. Where a 
striking effect as is produced by one, or at 
most two, colours is not required, a sowing 
of portulaca, among somewhat closely-set 
plants of salpiglossis. Among white Ane- 
mone coronaria The Bride is very charming. 
African marigolds do not mind the sun heat, 
but I would much rather see the more grace- 
ful and artistic golden doronicums, which 
will continue in flower a long time if kept 
well watered and robbed ofall their fading 
blooms. ' a, 
Dwarf Antirrhinums in separate colours 
are most suitable window-box plants. One 
charming arrangement is made by letting 
a few royal blue cornflowers rise from among 
dwarf lemon snapdragons. Iceland poppies, 
mixed, with the mist-like grass, Eragrostis 
nebulosa, or the popular gypsophila will be 
found pretty and scarcely any trouble. Few 
persons seem to use little else but Ferns in 
their boxes, yet against a red brick house 
this is a scheme of adorment that leaves 
little to be desired. It is satisfactory, in a 
shaded place, to use ferns with just a few 
plants of palest pink or white Begonia semper- ~ 
florens. ; 
All purple and mauve flowers suit sunny 
boxes against a cream-painted _ building. 
Verbenas, asters, violas will give the colours, 
or purple jacobea and purple cornflowers. 
White dwarf cornflowers, with tall calliopsis 
in a bright gold kind, looks best if the 
quaking grass, Briza maxima, is used also. 
Potentillas are satisfactory where brilliance 
is not desired. The small white rosette- 
flowered Chrysanthemum inodorum may be 
combined with a salmon-blossomed geranium, 
either double or single, mignonette, and the 
royal blue dwarf delphinium, or phacelia will 
delight. those who pass, or those who dwell 
within the house ; while white petunias and 
the ordinary yellow stonecrop, with some 
trailing smilax, will be sure to prove pleasing 
and lasting. —Amateur Gardening, 
es 
Madame Sarah Bernhardt once said, “A 
fruit garden in spring is the garden I miost’ 
admire,” 7 yn) ae 
