DMember i, 1873. ] 



JOURNAIi OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENEB, 



44ff 



crimson, mauve, and white flowers are all growing together, 

 and some of the best kinds which I have came up when self- 

 sown in such a situation. 



Speaking of the Oxlip, " Philanthos " is uncertain where 

 it took its origin, and I can fully bear him out as to its being 

 less plentiful in a wild form than the Cowslip and Primrose, 

 but I have now and then met with it in Kent, and believe it is 

 more plentiful in many other places. I remember once, when 

 travelling by rail, a young lady entered the carriage I was in 

 from a station on the confines of Buckingham and 0.\ford- 

 shire, and she had a 

 neatly arranged bouquet 

 in her hand that would 

 have looked well even in 

 Covent Garden, although 

 it was composed entirely 

 of wild flowers, the com- 

 mon Primrose, Oxlip, 

 Violets, wild Hyacinth, 

 Quaking Grass, and a 

 few Cowslips. The Ox- 

 lips seemed to attract 

 most attention, and I 

 ascertained they were 

 common enough there, 

 although not so plentiful 

 as the Primrose and Cow- 

 slip. I think there wore 

 in the bouquet a few 

 flowers of Cardamiue 

 pratensis as well, but I 

 was rather surprised to 

 see the Quaking Grass 

 so early, as it and the 

 common Primrose are 

 seldom associated toge- 

 ther, yet such was the 

 case abont the middle of 

 May at the time alluded 

 to. 



The Oxlip is an inter- 

 esting member of the 

 Primrose family, as it 

 presents ns with one of 

 the best examples of the 

 Hose-in-Hose form of 

 garden hybrids that I 

 know, the individual 

 flowers of this monstro- 

 sity being much larger 

 than in the ordinary 

 form ; it also blooms pro- 

 fusely, looks remarkably 

 well, and is one of the 

 greatest favourites when 

 it is in beauty, which is 

 abont the same time as 

 the Polyanthus. I have, 

 however, only one va- 

 riety of this, and am 

 not acquainted with any 

 other Hose-in-Hose in 

 the Primrose family that 

 is of any consequence in a 

 decorative point of view, 

 although now and then I 



have seen a wild plant make an indifferent attempt in that 

 direction ; but the Oxlip certainly links itself to the Primrose 

 in a crimson variety that we have here. This is one of the 

 most attractive kinds we possess, the head being large and the 

 colour bright, while its flowers are sometimes borne on single 

 stalks, and sometimes the latter are branched like the Oxlip or 

 Polyanthus, ten or a dozen flowers being not unusual on a 

 single stalk, while the adjoining one, perhaps on the same 

 plant, has a single flower only. I believe there are some other 

 varieties that present the same feature, but none that I have 

 forms such a good example. I find some recent seedlings of 

 a similar colour have shown a tendency to flower in the same 

 way. 



Cannot something bo done in the way of hybridising these 

 hardy denizens of onr flower borders with the half-exotics not 

 yet BO plentiiul as Primula denticulata, which is, perhaps, not ' 



so hardy as could be wished, yet with us it has survived 

 several winters out of doors, and P. covtusoides amcena, which 

 is unquestionably hardy ?■ but I have never been able to ma- 

 nage it so well as I have known it done elsewhere. If to these 

 be added Primula japonica, assuredly something as interesting 

 as any variety we now possess may result. Other kinds might 

 perhaps be added. Those interested in the winter decoration 

 of their flower beds will, however, most likely be anxious to im- 

 prove the early-flowering kinds, and as your able correspondent 

 " PniUNTHOS " says ho has noticed an early and a late variety 



amongst the wild Prim- 



■Siii^Sfpii;;^ 



roses, there seems to bo 

 no reason why we should 

 not have the same 

 amongst our garden va- 

 rieties. As I have before 

 remarked, I have none 

 so early as the single 

 white ; I by no means 

 aflirm that to be perfect, 

 for the experience of 

 the present season has 

 proved the contrary, and 

 I am yet in hopes of see- 

 ing an earlier one than 

 it. Varieties of other co- 

 lours equally forward, 

 and other improvements, 

 may also be effected, per- 

 haps, without satisfying 

 all the requirements and 

 niceties which are sought 

 for in the exhibition 

 flower, which, as is well 

 known, are only too often 

 attained at the expense 

 of constitution of the 

 plant. On this head, 

 however, I need not fur- 

 ther enlarge, but I will 

 express my hope that the 

 cultivation of the Prim- 

 rose will be undertaken 

 by many of your north- 

 country readers as well 

 as by those in the south. 

 Notwithstanding some 

 advantages which the 

 south may possess in the 

 matter of climate, etc., as 

 regards plants of a half- 

 hardy kind, the Daisy 

 and Primrose thrive in- 

 finitely better in the cool 

 and moist climate of the 

 north, so that there we 

 may look for most suc- 

 cess in the cultivation of 

 this welcome harbinger 

 of spring ; for an unusu- 

 ally hot summer destroys 

 them by wholesale in the 

 south, where artificial 

 means are not adopted 

 for their preservation. 

 More I need not say, be- 

 yond thanking "Philanihob" for his interesting communica- 

 tions. — J. ROBSON. 



Two of the most curious forms of the Polyanthus arc those 

 to which "PniLANTHos" refen-ed in his recent papers ou 

 Primroses, and we take this opportunity of introducing 

 them along with the excellent paper of onr practised corre- 

 spondent Mr. Eolison. That which we have called Mr. I. 

 Anderson-Henry's Pantaloon was raised by that gentleman at 

 his villa at Trinity, near Edinburgh. The flowers are those 

 of the Pantaloon," and the bracts are large and leafy, of tho 

 same kind as those in Parkinson's Jackannpes-on-Horseback. 

 This latter is a very remarkable-looking plant, and, as will be 

 obseiTod in the woodcut, has the calyx developed as in the 

 Galligaskins, while the bracts are largo and leafy. 



Dbsiro«no Wabps.— Nothing is eaBier than the method 



Mr. I. An(ler8on-Henr}''B Pautflloon 



