772 PRIMULA. 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



which bears deep rosy flowers in pairs. 

 A cross with P. spectabilis has given P. 

 Facchinii, also profuse in its rosy-purple 

 flowers in twos and threes. P. Fosteri 

 is a natural cross between minima and 

 P. hirsuta, found in the Tyrol, where it 

 flowers in spring and again in autumn ; 

 its flowers are a fine rosy-purple, white 

 in the throat. From minima and cenensis 

 comes P. pumila, a little plant nearest 

 the first-named in size and habit, with 

 large flowers of rosy-purple ; while a 

 cross with villosa has given P. ' Stttrii, 

 alsc near minima, but stronger and more 

 free-flowering, and with its rosy-purple 



as it seems to grow all to leaf and stem, 

 while many of the other kinds often hide 

 their leaves with flowers. In April its 

 yellow flowers appear in a bunch at the 

 top of a powdery stem, and it emits a Cow- 

 slip-like perfume. It thrives as a border 

 plant in light soil. Division. S. Italy. 



P. Parryi. A pretty Primrose, bearing 

 about a dozen large, bright, purple, 

 yellow-eyed flowers nearly i in. across. 

 These flowers are borne on stems about 

 i ft. high. Though an undoubted alpine, 

 and growing on the margins of streams 

 near the snow-line, where its roots are 

 constantly bathed in ice-cold water, it 



Primula rosea. 



flowers of a brighter shade than mpumiia. 

 Another nearly allied natural hybrid is 

 P. Huteri from the Tyrol, a cross between 

 P. Flosrkiana and P. hirsuta. Its tiny 

 tufts, scarcely more than an inch high, 

 bear deep violet flowers. 



P. Munroi. This grows at very high 

 elevations on the mountains of Northern 

 India, in the vicinity of water. Its smooth 

 green leaves are 2 in. long, from them 

 arising flower-stems 5 to 7 in. high, bear- 

 ing sweet creamy-white flowers with a 

 yellowish eye, an inch across, from March 

 to May. 



P. Palinuri. This is quite different 

 from other cultivated Primroses, inasmuch 



has succeeded in the open border in 

 moist, deep, loamy soil mingled with peat ; 

 it is hardy, and requires partial shade 

 from extreme heat rather than protection 

 from cold. N. America. 



P. purpurea. A handsome Primrose, 

 with purple flowers borne in heads about 

 3 in. across. Sheltered and warm but 

 not very shady positions either in the j 

 rock-garden, or in the open parts of the 

 hardy fernery, will best suit it if the soil 

 is a light, deep, sandy loam, and well 

 enriched with decomposed leaf-mould. 

 It never thrives so well as in nooks at 

 the base of rocks, where it enjoys more] 

 heat than it would if exposed. It must] 



