PRIMROSE. 55 



The stem of a perfect flower must be strong, 

 erect, .and elastic, and of sufficient height to sup- 

 port the umbel or bunch of flowers above the puck- 

 ered foliage of the plant. The footstalks of each 

 separate flower should also be strong and elastic, 

 and of a length proportioned to the size and quan- 

 tity of the pipes ; which should not be less than 

 seven in number, that the bunch may be round, 

 close, and compact. Maddox says, " the tube of 

 the corolla above the calyx should be short, well 

 filled with the anthers or summits of the stamens, 

 and terminate fluted, rather above the eye. The 

 eye should be round, of a bright clear yellow, and 

 distinct from the ground colour ; the proportions 

 of a fine flower are, that the diameter of the tube 

 be one part, the eye three, and the whole pip six, 

 or nearly so. The ground colour is most admired 

 when shaded with a light and dark rich crimson, 

 resembling velvet, with one mark or stripe in the 

 centre of each division of the limb, bold and dis- 

 tinct, from the edging down to the eye, where it 

 should terminate in a fine point. The pips should 

 be large, quite flat, and as round as may be con- 

 sistent with their peculiar beautiful figure, which 

 is circular, excepting those small indentures between 

 each division of the limb, which divide it into five 

 heart-like segments. The edging should resemble 

 a bright gold hue, bold, clear, and distinct, and so 



