THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 93 



to increase tlie sum of liuman happiness, do not need to be explained or vindicated ; 

 ■were it so, indeed, the present movetnent would be out of time and out of place. 

 But it is not generally known that Mr. Hibberd has carried out all his experiments 

 and inquiries in horticulture entirely at his own expense, with no public garden or 

 wealthy society to assist him either with subjects, opportunities, or a salary ; and it 

 has therefore been at great and continuous personal sacrifice that he lias obtained 

 the valuable and original information which has rendered his writings so universally 

 acceptable, and so inestimable a boon to the amateur cultivators of Great Britain. 

 Such, and other considerations, actuate the promoters in soliciting subscriptions, the 

 intention being to make Mr. Hibberd a substantial present, that there may be tan- 

 gible proof afforded that his excellent motives are understood, and his able and 

 earnest labours appreciated. —James Coldwells, Hon. Sec. Communications, 

 subscriptions, etc , etc., may be forwarded to the Treasurer, Mr. James Crute, 88, 

 Watling Street, London, £.0. 



TO COEKESPONDENTS. 



Double Primulas. — I am an admirer of Chinese Primulas, and have a number 

 of very good ones at present. I would like to bring forward a few double ones for 

 next season, and would feel much obliged if you would kindly inform me if they can 

 be depended on to come double from seed. Also where tlie best seed can be got; 

 ■when it should be so'wn; and if the treatment of the young plants is the same as of 

 the single ones. Are the old plants worth preserving, or should the seed be sown 

 every year? In the Floral World for April last year (p. 76) there is a notice of 

 double primulas grown in eight-inch and ten-inch pots. How old -would these plants 

 be? Surely they could not be grown to that size in one season. — J. C. [In reply 

 to your first question, we do not think you could depend upon raising double primulas 

 from any feed purchased in the usual way. Double varieties are raised from seed 

 carefully hybridized ; the most successful raisers of these are Messrs. Windebank 

 and Kingsbury, Nurserymen, of Southampton, v;\\o, we believe, raised tlie five 

 varieties sent out by Messrs. Smitli, of Dulwich, some three or four years since, 

 and which were great improvements on the old double white and double purple 

 kinds. Messrs. Smith are about to send out another batch raised by the same firm ; 

 amongst them are some very beautiful varieties. Mr. Draycott, of Humberstone, near 

 Leicester, also some few years since raised some very fine double purple varieties; 

 the whole stock of these was purchased by Messrs. E. G. Henderson and Son, of St. 

 John's Wood. We heard, the other day, of an amateur grower near Stamford having 

 raised a beautiful double purple from a packet of seed of Russell's Pyramid Primula, 

 advertised occasionally by Mr. Clarke, of Streatham. This, we expect, was a waif; 

 and you might grow thousands before being fortunate enough to raise such a one. 

 The only way ■would be to get the best varietie-, and hybridize them, and save your 

 own seed; the double varieties seed very sparingly, and require artificial impregna- 

 tion. For further information see article at p. 68. 



EvEKGUEEN Ferns for Unheated Fernhouse. — P. B. — Tlie following ■v\-ill be 

 found very various in form and character, quite hardy under glass without the aid 

 of artificial heat, and requiring only the ordinary treatment of ferns in general. 

 Those likely to suffer in a severe winter are marked ilms *. It may be well to 

 remind P. B. that some means of keeping out frost is very desirable; a charcoal 

 stove would be better than nothing during severe weather. British : Asplenium 

 adinntum nigrum, A. raarinum, A. trichoraaiies, Ceterach officinarum, Lastrea 

 semula, L. dilatata, Polypcdium vulgare and its varieties, Polystichum aculeatum 

 and varieties, P. angulare and varieties, Scolopendnum vulgare and about a 

 hundred of its varieties, of which the following are the best — bimarginato-multi- 

 fidum, contractuui, cornutum, crispum, cristatum, digitatum, glomerato-digitatum, 

 laceratum, ramo-marginatum, ramosum, undnlato-lobatum, Wardii. Exotic: Adi- 

 antum cuneatum*, Asplenium ebeneuin, Camptosorus rhizophylhis, Cyrtomium 

 caryotideuu), C. falcatum, Dennsta?diia punctilobula, Lastrea atrata, L. cristata, L. 

 froudosa, L. Goldieana, L. intermedia, L. marginalis, L. opaca, L. Sieboldii, Loma- 



