THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



PRIMULA. 777 



varieties, but they are not then so useful 

 or so pretty as when in good colonies 

 or large informal groups. Double Prim- 

 roses well grown, and the same kinds 

 barely existing, are such different objects 

 that nobody will grudge them the trifling 

 attention necessary to their perfect de- 

 velopment. Occasionally they may be 

 seen flourishing in some old country gar- 

 den, where they find a home more con- 

 genial than the fashionable flower garden. 

 Division of the roots. 



The Rev. P. Mules, a most successful 

 grower of the Double Primroses, writes 

 to the Field about them : " Unless these 

 flowers have been seen at their best, and 

 that >can only be under the favourable 

 conditions of suitable soil, pure air, and 



occasionally throw up corymbose heads, 

 polyanthus-wise ; but this is not uncom- 

 mon with many Primroses, and is the 

 result of high cultivation, and occurs 

 towards the end of the flowering period. 

 The reason that the rarer varieties are 

 difficult and expensive to obtain is 

 because their culture is not understood, 

 and stocks once allowed to die out can 

 scarcely be replaced. Their reproduction, 

 as they have no seed, is impossible, and 

 one has to depend on division alone for 

 their increase. Like all perennials, there 

 is a tendency to natural deterioration, and 

 unless they be kept in the highest vigour 

 by change of soil and locality and break- 

 ing up, nothing can keep them. 



" The secret of growing double Prim- 



Primrose Munstead Early White. 



great experience in culture, no one can 

 imagine their beauty. I have had a bed 

 of fifty plants of the double white carrying 

 at one time 4,000 fully expanded blooms, 

 averaging i in. in diameter. So also 

 Pompadour, with blooms of still larger 

 size, which has flowered without inter- 

 mission since October, throwing its rich 

 crimson blossoms well above the succulent 

 green foliage, and presenting a fine 

 picture of form and colour. Then we 

 have double rose, double mauve, double 

 dark lilac, double cerise, double sulphur, 

 double yellow, and double rose white 

 mottled. Besides these are some bright 

 crimsons, making a combination of 

 colours which lend themselves to many 

 varieties of garden and house decoration. 

 Some the sulphur and the dark lilac 



roses differs little, if at all, from that of the 

 more delicate perennials, two points being 

 specially to be observed protection from 

 cutting and strong winds, and that they 

 be grown together in beds massed, not 

 dotted through the herbaceous border. 

 Beyond this only such knowledge is re- 

 quired as can be obtained by experience in 

 the management of this class of plants." 



THE POLYANTHUS. Though the origin 

 of this beautiful old-fashioned flower is 

 somewhat obscure, it is considered to be 

 a form of the common P. vulgaris with 

 the stems developed. Polyanthuses are 

 not at all sufficiently appreciated, con- 

 sidering the wonderful array of beauty 

 they present, and that for rich and 

 charmingly inlaid colouring they surpass 

 all other flowers of our spring gardens. 



