458 THE GARDENER. [Oct. 



bright lilac flowers. It is a very hardy and accommodating species ; 

 for though usually classed among Alpines, it succeeds very well in the 

 open border in most places where light rich loam and a dry bottom 

 exist; but it is undoubtedly most at home on well-drained rock-work, 

 where it can be liberally supplied with water during the growing sea- 

 son. Good rich loam, a little peat, and abundance of gritty sand, 

 form the most fitting compost for it on rock-work, or in pots if it 

 should be cultivated in them, as it occasionally is, for the decoration 

 of the greenhouse and conservatory in sp ring. It bears a little forc- 

 ing, and may be had in bloom a month or six weeks earlier than the 

 natural flowering period by being placed in gentle heat in January 

 and February. The flowers appear in April, May, and June. Native 

 of the Himalaya. 



P. denticulata var. nana. — Under this name Messrs Backhouse of 

 York recently introduced from the Himalaya a sort of Primula that 

 must be considered a decided improvement on the older P. denticulata, 

 if it is not indeed entitled to be regarded as a distinct species. The 

 leaves are similar in form and texture to those of P. denticulata, the 

 flower-stalks are stouter, and the dense umbels of bluish-purple flowers 

 are nearly twice as broad, and the flowers are conspicuously marked 

 with a yellow eye. It is a vigorous, hardy plant, and forms a striking 

 object on rock-work or in pots. The same soil and treatment as for 

 P. denticulata. 



P. cortusoldes is a very pretty species from Siberia. It forms com- 

 pact tufts of bright green heart-shaped bluntly-toothed leaves ; the 

 flower-stalks, slender and erect, are slightly shaggy with long soft hairs ; 

 the umbels are compact and rather large, and the flowers deep rose. 

 It is a very showy species, and best adapted for the rock- work ; rarely 

 very satisfactory in the open border, except in the most favourable situ- 

 ations — not but that it is perfectly hardy as regards capability of re- 

 sisting cold, only it requires a freer drainage at all times than generally 

 can be secured at the ordinary ground-level. In summer, however, 

 it will take astonishing supplies of water while making growth if the 

 drainage is good. Sandy rich loam suits it best. Flowers through- 

 out May, June, and July. A more robust and darker-flowered variety 

 named P. cortusoides amoena is in cultivation, but rare ; it is remark- 

 ably distinct as a variety from this species. There is also a white 

 variety of more diminutive growth, but still more rare, well worth 

 cultivating, but difficult to keep up. 



P. amoena is perhaps the finest of the denticulata section. The 

 leaves are of the same form as those of P. denticulata, but narrower 

 and less acutely toothed ; the flower-stalks are stouter, and rise to 

 the height of 9 inches or a foot ; the umbels are larger, as are also the 



