PRIMULA. 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN, 



PRIMULA. 



653 



it may be grown in any position, but 

 it requires light, peaty, or spongy loam, 

 about one-half being fine sand, and its 

 roots should be kept moist during the 

 dry season. It is easily increased by 

 division, and may be raised from seed. 

 Varieties are sometimes, but rarely, 

 found with white flowers. It is some- 

 times grown under the name of P. viscosa. 

 It is of very easy culture, and may be 

 grown either in pots or in the rock garden, 

 a light free soil, and plenty of water during 

 the warm season. It flowers in April 

 and May. Alps. Similar to P. villosa 

 are P. ciliata, Steini, hirsuta, pubescens, 

 rh:~tica, pedemontana, oenensis, and Diny- 



P. WINTERI. The genus contains 

 nothing more exquisite than this lovely 

 Himalayan kind, albeit it is not a general 

 success and requires the protection of 

 the alpine house or miniature caves or 

 recesses in the rock garden which would 

 protect it from wet and frost. Lowly 

 habited like our common Primrose, and 

 with grey-green leaves covered with a 

 whitish meal, the florin large, clear mauve, 

 white-eyed flowers are freely produced 

 on well-grown plants. Requires careful 

 cultivation in rich loam and leaf soil. 

 Rare at present it should be raised freely 

 from seeds, the seedlings affording not 

 a little colour variation. 



An Alpine Primrose. 



ana, charming little species from the 

 Alps. All thrive under the same con- 

 ditions as P. villosa. 



P. VISCOSA. A plant of the granite 

 soils of the Alps and Pyrenees, and so 

 near P. villosa that the two are often 

 regarded as one, though kept distinct 

 by botanists. This differs mainly in 

 the longer tube of the flowers and their 

 longer stems, though there are other 

 small differences. It develops a thick 

 stem of several inches high, often branched 

 like a tiny shrub. The leaves are large, 

 covered with hairs, and fringed at the 

 edges, and the flowers, which come 

 in large bunches during April and May, 

 are of rosy-lilac with a white centre. 

 The plant is easily grown in peaty soil 

 between sandstone rocks, but it objects 

 to chalk or strong limestone soils. It 

 has been freely used in crossing with 

 other kinds, especially P. auricula. 



P. VULGARIS (Common P.). Of all 

 the Primula family, none excel our 

 native Primroses in loveliness. 



In some places the Common Prim- 

 rose varies a good deal in colour. 

 Some of the prettiest of the wild 

 varieties are worthy of being intro- 

 duced into shrubberies and copses. 

 For shrubberies and by woodland 

 walks single varieties will always 

 prove more useful than the old double 

 kinds, because more vigorous in spring 

 after the flowering period. Named 

 or distinct varieties are readily in- 

 creased by division or by seeds, 

 which are produced in abundance. 

 As soon as they are parted, plant 

 them in the kitchen garden or in 

 some by- place. The more rich and 

 moist the soil the better they will 

 grow, especially if the position be 



