PRIMULA. 



chips and grit. Tho Auriculas are all comfortable with the culture 

 of the oabbage, and the man has not yet been born who can kill 

 P. marginata or P. carniolica. The Farinosa-gvoup will be found 

 oatered fur under its type-species ; and the choice Gentian-bed is the 

 best place at present for unproven Asiatics (see Appendix) at ten and 

 sixpence each. Every special species whose needs are known will 

 find them dealt with in the following list, which makes an attempt to 

 cover every species and hybrid and sjTionym so far known. 



Primula acaulis. — Neither description nor cultural notes are 

 needed for this, one of our best-beloved of native plants. The Primrose 

 occupies woods and sheltered shady places throughout the length and 

 breadth of Europe, far away into Asia Minor, Armenia, and Turkestan. 

 Native to Great Britain and abundant, Primula acaulis has been in 

 our gardens for centuries, and in the lapse of time has developed into 

 many varieties of more or less beauty, whether single or double. 

 These will bo found in any florist's catalogue, under descriptive or 

 personal names. Some of the most specially favoured are double 

 forms of rich colour, such as Pompadour (deep crimson), Derncleugh 

 (splashed crimson and white), Miss Massie, a single glowing Pompadour, 

 and many other names to the pleasure of their raisers, fresh develop- 

 ments perpetually appearing. From the days of Parkinson, freaks, 

 reduplications and virescent forms have been frequent, and particularly 

 valued among gardeners, in the various species of the vernal Primroses. 

 Nowadays, however, the passion for Hose-in-hose, Jacks-in-t he-green 

 and Galligaskins, has passed away, or survives here and there as a 

 curiosity, such deformities being of more precarious life than even the 

 fashion that cherished them. Tho coloured forms of P. acaulis need 

 no more attention than the type, when single ; when double, however, 

 they are often apt to prove of less easy and perennial cultivation in 

 the well-prepared gardens of the rich and mighty than in the im- 

 memorial cottage- borders of the humble and meek. A very stiff, 

 rich and greasy soil (with no stint of liquid manure, for which their 

 thirst is insatiable), seems to be their desire; and many a village, 

 (specially in the Midland counties, can show borders of the precious old 

 Double White or Double Lilac that are richer and finer and older than 

 any of hall or manor. Though occasionally colour-forms of P. acaulis 

 are found in English copses, the original white is a variety, P. a. 

 balearica, endemic to the Balearic Islands. Yet more important, 

 however, is the beautiful early-blooming or perpetually-blooming 

 ■ carmine variety, that has for so long been productive of so much 

 confusion in catalogues. Robinson Avrongty published it as P. amoena, 

 and now Dr. Ma sWatl in the R. II. S. Journal has perpetuated another 



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