1879.] CHOICE HARDY SPRING FLOWERS. 255 



of the Cruciferse. The whole plant when in bloom does not exceed 4 

 inches. The flowers are small, white, and densely profuse. It is 

 usually grown in pots amongst collections of the choicer alpine-plants, 

 but it is quite capable of being cultivated successfully in the front 

 lines of mixed borders, and looks especially well on rock-work. 



Poly gala chamatbuxus purpurea. — This is an immense improvement 

 on the old cream-coloured, and I suppose normal, form of this now 

 not very common border-plant. The flowers are larger, the wings 

 expanding considerably more than in the old variety : they are deep 

 rosy-crimson, and in fine contrast with the bright-yellow, green-tipped 

 keel. 



Dodecatheon Meadias. — This, in its several varieties, is one of the 

 most elegant and pleasing of choice spring flowers. It is now rarely 

 met with — a regrettable circumstance in connection with a plant so 

 beautiful, and one which, if fairly treated, is most easy to be culti- 

 vated. A deep, moist, yet not water-logged loam suits the require- 

 ments of the plant best ; and it is benefited by partial shade. I). in- 

 tegrifolium is a very handsome species, with deeper crimson flowers 

 than any of the varieties of D. Meadiae. Both flower in April and 

 May, but in the colder districts they are more likely in average seasons 

 to unfold their flowers in June than earlier. 



Primula. — The best of this genus for our present purpose are the 

 early blooming hardy varieties of the Primrose, purple-white, and 

 crimson and yellow. These are beautiful and very profuse-flowering 

 plants, requiring but very ordinary conditions of culture to succeed 

 well. There are also the Polyanthus in great variety, and hybrid forms 

 bearing a resemblance in colouring to those, while in habit and size 

 of the flowers they resemble the Primrose. These latter are beautiful 

 things, which may be raised by the hundred from seed, and are most 

 easy to maintain and increase afterwards by division when especially 

 fine forms make their appearance, and render it desirable to perpetuate 

 them. 



Primula auricula. — The " Auricula " in all its splendid variety, too, is 

 well worth growing more extensively than it is. Good strains of this 

 is to be had from seed, which, like all other Primulaceas, should if pos- 

 sible be sown as soon as it is ripe. There are not a few of the more 

 distinct and beautiful species of Primula which succeed well in some 

 places, both in the north and in the south, but not generally so well in 

 the open ground as to recommend them to be included in a selection 

 like this, which is merely intended to include such plants as will suc- 

 ceed well in any part of the country as simple border or bedding 

 plants ; so that many of the choicer alpine species of Primula must be 

 passed over for the present. 



Crocus. — All the species and varieties of this hardy and very beauti- 

 ful genus are fit for the purpose for which these papers are written. 

 Their gay colours, abundant floriferousness, and their simple cultural 



