PRIMULACE^. 237 



climate ; but a moist stagnant atmosphere they cannot endure. 

 Abundant moisture at the roots is dehghted in by all the spe- 

 cies, provided the drainage be good and the soil open and 

 porous ; but the foliage of all the densely-hairy species at least 

 should be kept dry in winter and protected from battering 

 rains. The soil should be open fibrous peat and loam, in about 

 equal parts, and should be well sharpened up with gritty sand ; 

 and in the case of two or three species a little pounded lime- 

 stone will be found advantageous, and is even delighted in by 

 all. Some may be readily propagated by division, carefully 

 done in early autumn or spring ; a few of the larger-growing 

 species may be increased easily by cuttings inserted in very 

 sandy peat and loam, in early autumn, in a cold frame in well- 

 drained pots, in which they must be kept for the winter ; and 

 all may be raised from seed sown in pots in a cold frame, 

 taking care to exercise patience if they do not immediately 

 appear. It is the most troublesome way of increasing stock of 

 these pretty plants, but often the only way, especially when 

 new sorts are being added to the collection ; if in that case the 

 seed, as is most likely, is procured from the seedmen, it is well 

 to defer sowing till spring. 



A. carnea {Rose-coloured A.) — One of the earliest-flowering, 

 though not the most handsome of the group. It forms lowly 

 tufted masses 2 or 3 inches high. The stems and branches 

 are clothed with narrow, awl-shaped leaves, crowded into thin, 

 open rosettes near the points, and scattered thinly elsewhere ; 

 and the stems and leaves are downy. The flowers are borne 

 in pretty little umbels at the extremities of the stems and 

 branches, and are rose or pink, with yellow tubes ; they appear 

 in April and May or June. Native of the Vosges, the Alps, 

 and Pyrenees. 



A. Chaniae-jasnie (Bastard-/as7nm). — This species, from the 

 Alps, generally grows about 4 or 5 inches high, with weakly, 

 trailing branches, bearing a few small lanceolate leaves at the 

 extremities ; leaves and branches alike covered with long, 

 spreading, silky hairs. The flowers are white, changing to pink, 

 with yellow, often red, eyes, and are produced in small dense 

 umbels about June, and continue till August. 



A. ciliata (Fringed A.) — This is one of the prettiest of the 

 family. It is a lowly plant, with weak, rather thinly-spreading 

 stems, clothed with oblong, lance-shaped leaves, fringed with 

 conspicuous grey hairs. The flowers are not, as in the last, 

 borne in umbels, but singly on longish stalks ; and are purplish 

 rose, with a darker centre. Flowers about June and July. 

 Native of the Pyrenees. 



