1873.] FLORIST FLOWERS. 301 



few wliich captivate our senses, and paint our beds and borders in such 

 gay colours three months of the year, and, I must add, monopolise 

 both, almost to the exclusion of the many. Xo ; they are so good and 

 serviceable in their place that their presence is indispensable. Let us 

 have both, each in its proper place. 



That the now popular plan of adopting some of the spring flowers as 

 a break in the nine months' yearly interval of naked beds and borders 

 is a step in the proper direction must be admitted. Still, however 

 acceptable in its way, we have reason to fear the system is too expen- 

 sive for the generality of people to adopt without considerable sacrifice 

 in other departments of the garden, which are often robbed in propor- 

 tion to the requirements of a favoured few beds. It is exceedingly 

 nice, this plan of groups and stripes ; then the beauty of each kind is 

 much enhanced by being displayed in numbers and in contrast. By 

 all means let us have the plan continued ; but, in addition, we want to 

 see old friends in their old places also. This can easily be carried out 

 without the old custom and confusion often witnessed in the herba- 

 ceous borders — that of cramming in all and sundry without discrimi- 

 nation, out of which, as might be expected, a medley of irregularity 

 and confusion arises, the strong plants overpowering the weak. All 

 that is wanted is a judicious selection judiciously arranged, avoiding 

 botanical collections, unless in a place specially reserved for such an 

 object. 



Primula Auricula, or Mountain Cowslip, is one of the most ancient 

 inhabitants of the British gardens. It was cultivated by Gerard as 

 early as 1597 ; but when it w^as introduced from its Alpine home 

 (being a native of Switzerland, Austria, Styria, and other highlands of 

 Europe) no authentic record exists, so far as we know. The family 

 is divided into two groups — namely, "Stage" and "Alpine." The 

 former are more highly refined, and are distinguished from Alpines by 

 the flowers being divided into distinct zones of various rich colours. 

 The Stage group consists of green-edged, grey-edged, white-edged, 

 and "Selfs" of various colours and hues. The Alpines exhibit 

 also a wide diversity of colours and shades of colour, their flowers 

 being generally composed of two colours — viz., the external or ground 

 colour, the " paste " or internal division, which means the eye, and 

 centre, and the cluster of sexual organs fitted into the tube. Alpines 

 are found to be the most hardy of the two, and therefore better fitted 

 for planting in beds and otherwise without the aid of protection during 

 severe weather. 



Meantime we purpose discussing the culture of the Stage varieties. 



Pwjxigation. — This is effected by division of the root, by offsets of 

 the approved sorts, and by seed when new varieties are in request. 



