PRIMROSES. 31 



from satisfactory. Hepaticas I have tried over 

 and over again, and they always fail. 



In front of one of the beds of evergreens on 

 the lawn I planted some double Primroses yellow, 

 white, red, and lilac ; some of them are showing 

 their blossoms, but they are not vigorous. By the 

 way, I found it very difficult to get these Prim- 

 roses, and had to pay what seemed an excessive 

 price for them. They are, I fear, among the old 

 neglected flowers, which we run a good chance of 

 losing altogether, if gardeners will confine them- 

 selves entirely to bedding plants. 



There is a charmingly fantastic conceit in one 

 of Herrick's poems, "To Primroses filled with 

 Morning Dew." He thinks they may be weeping, 

 because 



" Ye have not seen as yet 

 The Violet." 



My Primroses at least have not this excuse, for we 

 have Violets in abundance, and they scent all the 

 air as we pass through the garden door. Even in 

 winter a faint fragrance lingers among their leaves 

 a shadowy memory of a perfume, which haunts 

 them even when no single flower can be found. 

 Bacon says that " the flower which above all others 

 yields the sweetest smell in the air is the Violet ; 



