82 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
January  23,  1896. 
I  hope  this  suggestion  will  not  be  misunderstood  by  our  female 
friends.  It  is  offered  after  much  thought  and  some  knowledge  of  the 
difficulties  and  trials  of  many  to  make  ends  meet.  None  of  us  knows 
wbat  is  before  us,  and  if  any  of  us  have  to  fall  back  on  the  funds  in 
question  we  shall  feel  all  the  better  pleased  to  know  that  we  have  done 
our  best  to  help  them  along  when  able,  even  if  it  is  at  some  sacrifice  to 
do  this  at  the  time.— Yorkshire  Subscriber. 
CHINESE  PRIMROSES  AT  READING. 
With  the  incoming  of  every  new  year  there  may  be  seen  in  Messrs. 
Sutton  &  Sons’  nursery  at  Reading  the  earliest  probably  of  all  the 
season’s  flower  shows.  It  is,  however,  a  perfectly  free  exhibition,  yet 
one  that  is  always  well  worth  seeing  ;  and  coming  not  merely  once  a 
year,  but  literally  in  midwinter,  it  is  always  fresh  and  attractive.  If 
there  be  found  in  some  of  the  very  extensive  range  of  houses  in  this 
nursery  at  the  same  time  superb  Cyclamens,  Cinerarias,  and  other  winter 
flowers,  yet  is  the  great  feature  of  the  show  found  in  the  Chinese 
Primroses,  of  which  thousands  are  grown,  and,  with  one  special  exception, 
every  plant  seems  to  be  of  exactly  the  same  size. 
The  rule  at  Reading  is  to  sow  seeds  of  every  variety  grown,  and  these 
now  are  legioD,  early  in  the  month  of  June,  that  having  been 
found  to  be  the  very  best  time  of  the  year  to  secure  from  seed 
quicker  germination,  and  from  the  plants  simultaneous  growth  and 
blooming.  The  exception  above  referred  to  is  found  in  one  house  alone, 
and  consists  of  what  may  be  termed  the  shop  tests  or  trials,  for  there, 
from  a  sowing  made  in  July,  may  be  seen  several  hundreds  of 
even-sized  plants  all  in  60-sized  pots,  several  plants  of  a  selection  or 
variety,  and  running  in  each  case  in  rows  from  the  top  to  the  bottom 
of  the  stage.  Although  these  plants  were  from  seeds  sown  only  a 
month  after  the  general  stock  of  plants,  they  are  fully  two  months  later 
and  smaller  now,  showing  that,  general  culture  and  treatment  being  the 
same,  June  sowings  give  by  far  the  most  favourable  results.  However, 
every  plant  will  bloom  in  these  small  pots,  and  when  all  are  flowering 
they  will  present,  if  not  the  finest  plants,  at  least  one  of  the  most  varied 
collections  of  Chinese  Primroses  in  the  kingdom. 
It  seems  as  if  and  in  spite  of  the  splendid  varieties  now  in  commerce, 
we  shall  never  reach  finality  with  these  Primulas.  Inter-crossing  for 
the  purpose  of  procuring  some  desired  results  goes  on  yearly.  The  firm  has 
in  Mr.  Martin  one  of  the  most  skilled  hybridists,  and  he  is  never 
satisfied.  The  Primula  is  happily  yet  unsatisfied  also,  or  it  would  close 
up  its  forces  and  refuse  longer  to  be  improved.  Of  course  development 
is  now  slow.  There  can  be  no  leaps  and  bounds,  but  development  if 
slow  is  very  sure,  and  it  is  in  the  right  direction.  No  matter  what  kind 
of  flower  the  florist  takes  in  hand,  be  endeavours  to  obtain  from  it 
greater  variation  as  well  as  richness  or  purity  of  colouring,  of  finer  form, 
of  greater  substance,  of  freer  blooming,  of  compact  and  handsome 
habit,  and  in  all  these  directions  the  Chinese  Primrose  has  proved  itself 
to  be  very  supple  in  expert  bands,  and  in  the  Reading  strains  all  these 
features  are  found  wonderfully  marked. 
The  splendid  Primulas  of  to-day  seem  to  bear  about  the  same 
relations  to  the  original  species  of  Primula  sinensis  as  the  Fancy  Pansy 
does  to  Viola  tricolor  of  the  fields.  There  is,  indeed,  in  one  house  a 
quantity  of  plants  about  to  flower  profusely  of  a  tall  pyramidal  form  of 
the  Stellata  type,  the  pips  of  which,  both  pallid  and  lilac,  are  of  that 
small,  thin,  flat,  smooth-edged  form  which  characterised  the  Chinese 
Primula  half  a  century  ago.  What  a  leap  is  it  from  these  to  the 
wonderfully  massive  and  grand  blooms  of  the  giant  strain,  of  which 
there  are  so  many  representatives  here.  In  the  matter  of  leafage  the 
Primula  is  here  divided  into  palmate,  Fern,  and  moss-curled.  The 
former,  we  all  know,  as  of  the  old  type  ;  the  Fern-leaf  is  very  diverse 
from  that  common  twenty  years  since,  when  leaves  ranged  from  8  to 
9  inches  long,  and  occupied  far  too  much  space  ;  the  moss-curled  is 
remarkably  handsome. 
Small  plants  in  tiny  pots  are  singularly  pleasing  when  seen  in  small 
vases  and  on  tables,  apart  from  the  flowers  which  are  still  good, 
and  then  of  these  types  of  foliage  there  is  pale  green,  dark,  and  very 
dark.  The  latter  is  specially  found  in  a  variety  named  Gipsy,  rather  a 
happy  appellation,  for  if  the  leafage  be  of  the  colour  of  the  Perilla  the 
flowers  are  of  the  purest  white.  By-the-by  there  is  a  rather  interesting 
fact  shown  in  this  case  that  is  equally  evidenced  in  most  Primulas,  and 
it  is  that  the  dark  foliage  invariably  gives  in  the  flowers  the  purest  hue. 
That  is  not  so  much  because  of  the  greater  contrast  apparently,  as  that 
the  white  of  the  blooms  is  devoid  of  any  green  or  pink  shading. 
The  giant  types,  whilst  having  all  ordinary  foliage  characteristics, 
yet  have  them  stouter  and  finer  than  have  the  normal  forms.  Just  so 
also  have  they  the  same  exceeding  size  and  stoutness  in  the  flowers.  Of 
these  there  are  glorious  variations  of  white,  pink,  rose,  carmine  and 
purple.  Larger  flowers  can  hardly  be;  indeed,  were  they  bigger 
there  would  seem  to  be  some  discord  in  general  dimensions  of  leaf, 
plant,  and  bloom.  The  madder,  or  blood  red  forms,  are  here  in  great 
profusion.  Of  this  section  the  most  remarkable  is  a  selection,  the  flowers 
being  of  great  size  and  substance,  with  colour  of  heavy  blood  maroon, 
the  deepest  hue  of  this  character  yet  seen.  Around  each  clear  lemon 
eye  is  a  ring  of  black,  so  that  the  flower  is  still  further  intensified.  This 
is  a  remarkable  break. 
Then  there  is  a  brilliant  selection,  the  colour  being  of  a  fiery  blood 
red.  What  size  and  substance,  a3  well  as  of  form,  in  these  flowers. 
Auolher  variety  has  such  intensely  ruddy  carmine  hue  that  it  comes 
nearest  to  a  scarlet  yet  seen.  Then  there  are  carmines,  rosy  pinks, 
purples,  lavenders,  and  reds  in  great  abundance.  There  are  two  of  the 
large,  bright,  marginata  type,  one  having  a  bluish  ground,  and  the  other 
a  reddish  rose  ground  that  are  exceedingly  attractive.  Single  blues  are 
very  attractive.  How  beautiful  they  look  here  in  the  mass,  and  in  bright 
daylight.  Whites,  again,  are  numerous.  One  from  Snowdrift  having 
a  contraction  in  the  flower  tubes  will  bear  any  amount  of  shaking  ere 
the  flowers  will  fall.  It  is  a  profuse  bloomer. 
But  it  is  doubtful  whether  the  attention  of  the  gardener  who  is  ever 
seeking  for  flowers  that  are  new  and  useful  will  not  be  most  keenly 
attracted  to  the  doubles,  or,  as  commonly  called,  Bemi-doubles,  which 
come  so  true  from  seeds.  How  fine  relatively  are  the  flowers  of  the 
newer  strains,  and  how  much  do  the  centre  petals  seem  to  be  increasing 
in  bulk  as  well  as  in  substance.  Very  soon  these  fine  doubles  from  seedB 
will  be  as  densely  petalled  as  are  the  named  doubles,  but  it  is  hoped,  at 
least,  they  may  retain  their  present  good  seeding  properties.  One  of  the 
newest  is  a  remarkably  fine  and  very  pure  white,  not  yet  named.  This 
should  make  a  very  fine  variety  for  the  bouquetists  to  grow  for  gathering 
from.  Almost  as  fine  is  the  blue,  which  in  this  case  shows  dense  bright 
colour.  Quite  as  fine  is  one  of  the  parents  of  the  white  form,  the 
heliotrope  coloured  variety. 
Beyond  these  are  there  scarlet,  carmine,  pink,  purple,  several  whites, 
and  a  very  beautiful  flaked  form  that  shows  both  carmine  and  purple 
markings,  sometimes  on  the  same  flower,  but  chiefly  on  separate  flowers. 
The  curled  leafage  has  given  fine  doubles,  one  a  pretty  rosy  white 
flower,  so  that  we  may  soon  expect  to  see  this  pleasing  leafage  asso¬ 
ciated  with  all  the  colours,  and  double  and  single  flowers  found  on  the 
older  strains.  Hence  it  may  be  assumed  that  the  end  of  the  Chinese 
Primula  is  a  long  way  off,  and  ere  it  comes  we  shall  see  yet  greater 
things  than  has  been  accomplished.  This  great  Reading  collection  will 
be  at  its  b^st  from  the  middle  to  the  end  of  February  ;  but  for  the  next 
three  months  there  will  be  a  wealth  of  beauty  to  see  and  enjoy. — D. 
LEEDS  PROFESSIONAL  GARDENERS’  FRIENDLY 
BENEFIT  SOCIETY. 
The  twenty-ninth  annual  dinner  of  the  above  Society  was  held  at 
the  Green  Dragon  Hotel,  Guildford  Street,  Leeds,  on  Friday  evening, 
the  17th  inst.,  when  about  forty  members  and  friends  spent  a  very 
enjoyable  evening  ;  Mr.  John  Lazenby  (President)  in  the  chair,  and 
Mr.  H.  Smith  in  the  vice-chair.  Several  letters  were  read  by  the 
Chairman  from  gentlemen  expressing  sorrow  at  their  inability  to 
attend. 
After  the  usual  loyal  toasts  had  been  given  by  the  Chairman,  the 
Secretary,  Mr.  William  Sunley,  read  the  annual  report,  and  stated  that 
the  Society  had  nineteen  honorary  members  and  132  financial  members. 
The  income  for  the  year  had  been  £144  4s.  6d.  and  the  expenditure 
£92  18s.  7£d.,  leaving  a  balance  to  be  carried  forward  of  £51  5s.  10Jd., 
which,  added  to  the  previous  savings,  makes  a  total  of  £1157  9s.  9d. 
placed  to  the  Society’s  credit.  The  report  was  considered  a  very 
satisfy  ctory  one. 
The  toast  of  the  evening  was  given  by  Mr.  E.  Elliott,  Huddersfield, 
who,  in  the  course  of  his  remarks,  thought  that  the  encouragement  of 
gardening  in  rural  districts,  as  a  supplementary  source  of  income,  might 
to  some  extent  diminish  tbe  influx  of  the  rural  population  into  the 
already  crowded  centres  of  industry.  In  responding,  Mr.  H.  Wright 
said  that,  from  a  financial  point  of  view,  the  Society  would  compare 
very  favourably  with  that  of  any  kindred  society. 
Mr.  J.  Clayton,  in  responding  for  hon.  members,  remarked  that  he 
thought  the  Society  was  not  made  sufficiently  known  amongst  gardeners, 
or  it  would  increase  its  members  much  more  than  it  did.  He  stated 
be  bad  lived  most  of  hia  life  within  about  twenty  miles  from  Leeds,  and  it 
was  only  recently  that  he  had  heard  that  such  a  Society  existed,  and 
he  thought  that  its  benefits  ought  to  be  made  known  through  the 
gardening  press,  and  by  so  doing  make  it  better  known  amongst 
gardeners.  Mr.  Clayton  went  on  to  say,  “I  do  not  know  of  any  other 
gardeners’  society  where  the  benefits  during  sickness  are  so  good.  A 
small  contribution  of  31.  per  week  entitles  a  member  to  10s.  per  week 
for  twenty-six  weeks,  then  5s.  per  week  so  long  as  he  remains  incapable 
of  following  his  employment ;  at  the  death  of  a  member  £10,  and  £7 
for  a  member’s  wife,  is  paid  to  the  person  entitled  to  draw  it.” 
Any  gardener  thinking  of  joining  such  a  society  can  obtain  all 
necessary  information  from  the  Secretary,  Mr.  W.  Sunley,  8,  Woodhouse 
Cliff.  Leeds. — J.  W.  Frankland,  The  Gardens ,  Chapel  Allerton  Hall, 
Leeds. 
[We  have  received  a  copy  of  tbe  rules  of  this  Society.  They  are 
good,  aDd  are  duly  registered  under  the  Friendly  Societies’  Act.  We 
believe  the  Society  to  be  safe,  sound,  well  managed,  and  worthy  the 
attention  of  a  much  larger  number  of  working  gardeners  than  are  at 
present  enrolled."] 
OSBERTON  HALL. 
CALLING  in  the  gardens  at  Osberton  Hall,  Worksop,  recently  I  saw 
that  tbe  gardener,  Mr.  T.  Crasp,  had  been  transplanting  about  150  large 
pyramidal  Apple  and  Pear  trees.  These  had  been  planted  many  years 
and  had  overgrown  their  position,  overlapping  the  walks  and  making 
it  inconvenient  and  uncomfortable  to  walk  near  the  edge.  They  had 
not  been  very  successful  fruiters  of  late  years,  but  it  is  hoped  that  the 
moving  of  them  may  have  the  desired  effect  of  throwing  them  into  a 
more  fruitful  state.  They  were  all  lifted  with  good  balls,  the  roots 
