38 PRIMROSE, oxLip, AND COWSLIP. [February, 



are so nearly allied to each other that it requires every character 

 and habit of each to be taken into consideration to give them 

 their just claims as species, even to a chemical analysis. The 

 habits of those three differ as much as their physiognomy. The 

 Primrose is decidedly an arboreal, the Cowslip a pastural plant ; 

 the Oxlip has no predilection for any locality, being but sparingly 

 found anywhere : no condition increases its numbers, as it does 

 that of the Cowslip. 



By agriculture the Cowslip flourishes; by agriculture the 

 Primrose is destroyed. The Primrose may be seen in flower six 

 months in the year, the Oxlip and Cowslip not so many weeks. 

 I have known the Primrose's sylvan domain destroyed, and long- 

 furrowed by the plough, and then pastured : in time Cowslips 

 began to spring, and continually increased, but no Primroses ap- 

 peared, — only a few that found a refuge at the hedge, having 

 escaped the wreck and ruin of their ancient heritage and race. 



The Primrose is found in profusion in our woods and copses ; 

 the Cowslip and Oxlip are but sparingly found in their native 

 woodland glades or commons. They all prefer a stifi", dry, rather 

 poor soil : in rich pastures they do not abound. The Primrose 

 likes its sylvan shade ; the Oxlip, the woodland glade ; the Cow- 

 slip prefers the upland mead. 



It must be evident to every one what can be accomplished by 

 art in the metamorphism of plants in the Order Prhjiulacecs, and 

 many other tribes ; so that man, by torturing Nature, has by 

 those metamorphisms obtained, not created, a most gorgeous 

 floral world of his own, which he only holds on suflierance. If 

 he neglects his trust. Nature will recall the charge, and strip 

 them of their gaudy array, and place them in their pristine state 

 of simplicity. I have cultivated these three plants for many 

 years with many varieties of the Polyanthus : those from seed 

 produce regularly an endless variety of forms, of all shades of 

 colour, and monstrosities. 



I have not found the Cowslip, Oxlip, or Primrose to undergo 

 much change of character in the garden. 



Insects are extremely fond of the Polyanthus, which causes 

 such an endless variety when produced from seed; and often, 

 many of those plants growing near together, the pollen is imme- 

 diately transmitted from one flower to another. The Primrose, 

 in its native wilds, far distant from the Polyanthus of the gar- 



