146 FLOWER-GARDEN PERENNIALS. [MAKCH. 



cies delight in a rich light sandy loam. When the 

 plants become large, they ought to be divided, and 

 planted in fresh ground. 



Primulas, Primrose. To this genus belong the cele- 

 brated Cowslip, Oxlip, Primrose, and the esteemed 

 Auricula. The double varieties of Primrose have ori- 

 ginated from P. vulgdris. These are such as carry 

 their flowers on separate pedicles, rising from the root 

 on a small stem. The double varieties are desirable 

 for their beauty, but require the protection of a frame 

 during winter. They are in colour red, white, yellow, 

 lilac, purple, and crimson. P. eldtior is the Oxlip, from 

 which all the Polyanthuses have been grown. They are 

 in variety innumerable, and are those whose flowers 

 are in umbels, on a scape or flower-stalk, rising from 

 three to nine inches. The rules for judging of their 

 merits are wholly artificial, agreed on from time to 

 time by Florists. The one that is the leading beauty 

 this year would in a few years be far in the rear. The 

 principal character is that the corolla is not notched 

 or fringed ; the colours pure and distinct, not running 

 into one another; the tube small; the eye round, and a 

 little prominent. Being surrounded with white, and 

 the ground purple, is a fine character. P. auricula. 

 From this the highly esteemed varieties have originat- 

 ed. The cultivated auricula has many admirers, both 

 for its exquisite beauty and fragrance. For the cri- 

 terion of a fine flower see May. There are several 

 other species worthy of a situation, such as P. cortu- 

 soides, P. dentiflora, P. suaveolens, P. decora, with P. sco- 

 tica and P. farinbsa, both small neat species. A shady 



