494: THE GARDENER. [Nov. 



the latter immediately after flowering, and the seeds in the way re- 

 commended for Primula. It is rather a handsome little plant, with 

 nothing very showy either in the mass or colour of the flowers, but 

 will always be interesting to those who take a delight in the simple 

 beauty of Alpine plants. The leaves are nearly round, heart-shaped at 

 the base, very slightly lobed, and sharply toothed. The flower-stems 

 are about 6 or 8 inches high, terminating in a small loose umbel of 

 few small bright red flowers on drooping foot-stalks ; the corolla is 

 slightly bell-shaped, and deeply divided in five segments. Flowers in 

 April, May, and June. 



Soldandla comprises a most interesting group of the smallest and 

 most beautiful of Alpine plants. It is nearly related to Cortusa and 

 Primula, but is easily distinguished from either by the cup -shaped 

 deeply-fringed corolla, and by the style of the foliage, which, with the 

 simplest variation, is the same in all the species, and at the same time 

 very distinct from that of any of the species of the related genera. 

 They are found at very lofty elevations on the Alps of Europe ; two, 

 at least, of the species ascend to near the line of perpetual snow. To 

 be successful with them, we must, as near as circumstances will permit, 

 imitate the climate and other conditions of their native homes. I 

 have seen them succeed very fairly in an open peat border in Ireland, 

 but they are soon lost if any attempt is made to cultivate them in the 

 open border in the majority of localities — and, indeed, success is not 

 always sure on rockwork; but with proper care and attention they are 

 very manageable in pots, wintered in frames, and bloomed there, and 

 transferred to the rockwork to make growth. A moderately shady 

 position is best, and thej'' would sufi'er a constant state of saturation, 

 and be the better for it while growing, provided the drainage is good ; 

 but when ample growth is made, less moisture is necessary. In nature 

 they are deluged with snow-drip while growing, but it must be re- 

 membered that on the steep mountain-sides and rocky places on which 

 they are found it is impossible that stagnation can take place. In 

 winter they will endure much cold, but suffer disastrously from damp ; 

 the frame, therefore, in which they are wintered should be cool and 

 dry; and if they are left on the rockwork out of doors, a ledge project- 

 ing overhead, so as to protect from battering showers, would be a good 

 safeguard. Propagate by division immediately after flowering, and by 

 seeds sown as soon as ripe, in a cold frame. 



S. alpina has small round leaves, dark-green, smooth, and some- 

 what leathery, on short stout stalks. The flower-stalks are erect, bear- 

 ing two or three bright purple, slightly bell-shaped, deeply-fringed 

 flowers. Flowers in April or May. Sandy peat and loam. Very high 

 elevations on the Alps, Pyrenees, and Apennines. • 



