148 BRECK'S BOOK OF FLOWERS. 



P. Hopwoodiana, with rose and scarlet flowers, is also beau- 

 tiful. Most of the species, which are numerous, are pretty, but 

 those named are the finest ; all stand the winter well ; they 

 succeed best in light soil. 



PRIMULA. 



Primrose. 



This genus consists of beautiful dwarf Alpine plants, of 

 many species, which sport into elegant varieties, under the 

 cultivation of the florist. They are valuable on account of 

 their early appearance in the spring ; some of them succeeding 

 the Snowdrop, others keeping company with the vernal Phloxes 

 and other early flowers. 



The Primula auricula is a florist flower of great beauty, but 

 has received but little attention in this country ; probably on 

 account of the severity of our winter and spring months, or 

 the great heat of summer, which is more destructive to the 

 auricula than the cold. The extremes of heat and cold ren- 

 der its cultivation difficult. The flower-stalk springs from 

 radical leaves, six or eight inches high, bearing a truss of from 

 five to seven flowers, which are of various rich colors, accord- 

 ing to the variety. These flowers are called pips, which 

 should be round, with a light-colored eye; the groundcolor, 

 when very dark blue, purple, or brown, edged with green, con- 

 trast finely with the eye, and are considered richer than those 

 varieties where the colors are lighter. 



Primula polyanthus. This is more hardy than the auricula, 

 and succeeds well with little care, provided it can have a cool 

 and sheltered spot, a rich and rather moist soil. They are 

 in flower all the month of May, and some of the varieties by 

 the middle of April. The flowers are produced on stems, 

 eight to twelve inches high, in trusses of eight or ten flowers, 

 or pips, and are of various rich colors. Brown, with yellow 

 eye, is very common, with a delicate edging of yellow ; also 



