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THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



districts more care is necessary. In 

 the rock-garden it thrives in a moist 

 crevice, filled with peaty soil or fibry 

 sandy loam. In the drier districts it would 

 be well to cover the soil with cocoa-fibre, 

 leaf-mould, or broken bits of sandstone 



Primula farinosa (Bird's-eye Primrose). 



to protect the surface from being baked 

 and from excessive evaporation. 



P. f. acaulis is a very diminutive variety 

 of the preceding. The flowers nestle in 

 the hearts of the leaves, and both flowers 

 and leaves are very small. When a number 

 of plants are grown together, they form a 

 cushion of leaves and flowers not more 

 than \ in. high. Being so small, the plant 

 should have greater care, whether it is 

 grown in the rock-garden or in pots. 



P. scotica is a native plant, and requires 

 similar treatment. The flowers, which 

 show in April, are rich purple with a 

 yellow eye, and are borne on stems a 

 few inches high. Native of damp pas- 

 tures in the northern counties of Scot- 

 land. There is also a beautiful pure 

 white form of farinosa found upon Ingle- 

 borough, but this is very scarce. 



P. frondosa. A plant of the Balkans, 

 and related to the common Bird's-eye 

 (P. farinosa}, but with larger leaves of a 

 different shape, and larger rosy-purple 



flowers during May and June. The plant 

 is thickly covered in all its parts with a 

 fine white powder. 



P. glutinpsa. A distinct little Prim- 

 rose, rare in gardens. On mountains 

 near Gastein and Salzburg, in the Tyrol, 

 and in Lower Austria, it flourishes, in 

 peaty soil, at a height of 7,000 to 8,000 ft. 

 It is 3 to 5 in. high, bearing one to five 

 blossoms of a peculiar purplish-mauve, 

 with divisions rather deeply cleft. Suit- 

 able for the rock-garden, or for pots in 

 moist peat or very sandy soil. It should 

 be grown in clusters, being almost certain 

 to die out if isolated. Similar to P. 

 glutinosa are P. tirolensis, Flcerkiana, 

 Allioni, and others, all natives of the 

 Alps. 



P. grandis. A distinct species from the 

 Caucasus, remarkable only for its large 

 foliage and the smalmess of its flowers. 



P. integrifolia. A diminutive Prim- 

 rose, easily recognised by its smooth 

 shining leaves, which lie quite close to 

 the ground, and by its handsome rose 

 flowers, which are borne one to three 

 on a dwarf stem, and are often large 

 enough to obscure the plant. There is 

 no difficulty in growing this plant on flat 

 exposed parts of the rock-garden, if the 

 soil be firm, but moist and free. The 

 best way is to form a wide tuft, by dotting 

 six to twelve plants over one spot, and in 

 a dry district, scatter between them a 

 few stones or a little cocoa-fibre mixed 

 with sand, so as to prevent evaporation. 

 P. Candolleana is another name for this 

 plant. P. glaucesens, spectabilis, Clusi- 

 ana, and Wulfeniana, all natives of the 

 Alps, are of a similar character. Division 

 or seed. P. Heerii is a wild cross between 

 this kind and P. hirsuta found in Switz- 

 erland ; it makes neat low tufts bearing 

 loose clusters of purple flowers. 



P. intermedia. A charming hybrid 

 between P. ciliata and P. auricula. In 

 habit it closely resembles some of the 

 dwarf alpine Auriculas, and its pujplish- 

 crimson flowers have a conspicuous 

 yellow eye, and are borne on stout erect 

 scapes. On sheltered portions of the 

 rock-garden its richly-tinted blossoms 

 are seen to advantage. It is delicately 

 fragrant. 



P. japonica. A handsome Primrose 

 and first-rate border plant, in moist shady 

 spots of rich loam it grows vigorously, 

 throwing up flower-stems 2 ft. or more 

 and unfolding tier after tier of its 

 crimson blossoms for several weeks in 

 succession. It may be grown in the 

 rock-garden as well as in the border, 

 and is an excellent water-side plant, 



