220 HARDY PERENNIALS AND 



the under side lias a similar mealy covering to that of the scape. 

 Flowers and leaves develope at the same time, the latter being 

 8in. long and of irregular arrangement. 



The exceedingly floriferous character of this otherwise hand- 

 some primula renders it one of the very best subjects for the 

 spring garden ; it should have a place in the most select collec- 

 tions, as well as in more general assemblages of plants, for not 

 only does it take care of itself when once properly planted, but it 

 increases fast, forming noble tufts a foot in diameter, than 

 which few things give a finer effect or an equal quantity of 

 flowers at a time when they are not too plentiful. As already 

 hinted, it should have a somewat drier position than P. denticu- 

 lata, but by no means should it suffer from drought, and a little 

 shade will be beneficial. Propagated by division during the 

 growing season, immediately after flowering being the best time. 



Flowering period, March and April. 



Primula Scotica. 



SCOTTISH PRIMROSE; Nat. Ord. PRIMULACE-E. 

 THIS charming little member of the British flora very much 

 resembles the native Bird's-eye Primrose (P. farinosa), which is 

 very common in some parts. It is not uniformly conceded to be 

 a distinct species, but many botanists believe it to be such. As 

 a matter of fact, it is different from P. farinosa in several im- 

 portant points, though they are not seen at a mere glance. That 

 it has darker flowers and a more dwarf and sturdy habit may, 

 indeed, be readily seen when the two are side by side. Size and 

 colour, however, would not in this case appear to be the most 

 distinctive features. The seed organs differ considerably. " In 

 P. farinosa the germen is broadly obovate and the stigma 

 capitate ; here the germen is globose and the stigma has five 

 points." But there is another dissimilarity which may or may 

 not prove much to the botanist, but to the lover of flowers who 

 tries to cultivate them it is all-important. Whilst P. farinosa 

 can be easily grown in various soils and positions, in the same 

 garden P. Scotica refuses to live ; so fickle, indeed, is it, that 

 were it not a very lovely flower that can be grown and its 

 fastidious requirements easily afforded, it would not have been 

 classed in this list of garden subjects. Here it begins to 

 blossom in the middle of March at the height of Sin. In its 

 habitats in Caithness and the north coast of Sutherland it is 

 considerably later April and May. 



The flowers are arranged in a crowded umbel on a short 

 stoutish scape ; they are of a deep-bluish purple, with a yellow 

 eye ; the divisions of the corolla are flat and lobed ; calyx nearly 

 as long as tube, and ventricose or unevenly swollen. The whole 

 flower is much less than P. farinosa. The leaves are also smaller 



