410 THE GARDENER. [Sept. 



and the dark purjole : the three last are rare, and difficult to procure. 

 All are invaluable for the spring flower-garden, for rock-work, and for 

 many other purposes in the kitchen and fruit gardens. 



In P. elatior, the Oxlip, the common flower-stalk is generally 

 shorter and stouter than that of the Cowslip, but is variable in length 

 and strength ; ahvays, however, showing the umbel above the foliage, 

 and the corolla is broader and flatter than that of the Cowslip. This 

 is the least constant form of the three, and its varieties are less num- 

 erous and interesting than those of the other two ; they are mainly 

 useful for planting along with the commoner sorts of Cowslip and 

 Primrose in woods and suchlike places. 



P. auricula is the parent of the well-known varieties of stage and 

 border Auriculas. In its native habitats on the German, Swiss, and 

 Italian Alps, it is rather a variable plant, but not to such an extent 

 as to shadow forth, even remotely, the endless and beautiful combina- 

 tions that have sprung from it in the florist's hands. Yellow and red 

 are the most common colours in nature, with purple occasionally, and 

 Selfs are more common than variegated varieties, which is also true of 

 the majority of florists' varieties raised, only the variegated forms are 

 the most favoured. It would take more space than can be allowed 

 here to notice in detail the method of cultivating and raising the finer 

 varieties, which have been most favoured by florists ; and it is the less 

 necessary to do so, because treatises on the subject have been long in 

 existence, and give details ample and curious enough to satisfy the 

 most particular inquirer. Almost any of the varieties are worthy of 

 cultivating, were it for no other purpose than that of yielding early 

 crops of cut flowers out of doors. Where these are wanted in quan- 

 tity, the fragrance and pretty colours of the auricula render them very 

 desirable. All that are suitable for this purpose may be grown in the 

 borders of the kitchen-garden, about the margin of shrubberies, &c. ; 

 and they will succeed in any common garden-soil, if not too heavy 

 and wet. W. S. 



THE EDUCATION QUESTION". 



We have read with sympathetic interest the clever and suggestive 

 papers discussing this subject in these pages for some months back, 

 and we are anxious to see the Editor's final remarks on the subject, as 

 we are certain there is no gardener in the kingdom better qualified 

 from experience or judgment to say what the gardener's education 

 ought to be, what sort of young man from this point of view makes the 

 best gardener, and how education is to be applied in order to test the 



