PRIMULA, 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



PRIMULA. 779 



colonies in shrubberies and borders. 

 Their cultivation is almost as simple 

 as that of meadow Grass. They grow 

 vigorously in almost any garden soil, 

 but best in a soil that is somewhat rich 

 and moist ; and though they thrive in 

 the full sun, they best enjoy a partially 

 shaded and sheltered position, and are 

 somewhat impatient of heat and drought. 

 When grown for bedding, they are, like 

 the Primroses, removed in early summer 

 from the flower garden to the kitchen- 

 garden or nursery, and replaced there 

 when the summer bedding plants have 

 passed away. 



There have been lately raised some 

 varieties, a good deal larger in their parts 

 than the type, and these are very easy of 

 culture and very vigorous. There are, 

 however, very few, if any, double varie- 

 ties, but some varieties are curious and 

 interesting from the duplication of the 

 calyx or corolla ; these are popularly known 

 as " hose-in-hose " Polyanthus. They 

 grow with the same facility as the others. 

 The beautiful Gold - laced Polyanthuses 

 are much prized. The best are those 

 raised years ago, such as Cheshire 

 Favourite, George the Fourth, Formosa, 

 Duke of Wellington, Black Prince, 

 Lancashire Hero, and others, and they 

 are mentioned in most florists' catalogues 

 of hardy plants. The common Oxlip is 

 a hybrid more or less intermediate between 

 the Cowslip and the Primrose. It differs 

 from the true or Bardfield Oxlip (P. 

 elatior) in bearing much larger and 

 brighter flowers with longer foot-stalks, 

 and in having in the throat of the flower 

 the five bosses characteristic of the 

 Primrose and the Cowslip. Some of its 

 varieties approach the Cowslip and some 

 the Primrose in character. The treat- 

 ment that suits Polyanthuses and Prim- 

 roses will suit the Oxlip. P. suaveolens 

 is a variety of the Cowslip found in many 

 parts of the Continent, but is not suffi- 

 ciently distinct or ornamental to merit 

 cultivation. P. elatior, the true Oxlip, 

 is not very ornamental, the flowers being 

 of a pale buff-yellow, and readily dis- 

 tinguished by their funnel-shaped corolla, 

 which is quite destitute of the bosses 

 present in the Primrose and Cowslip. 

 It grows on clay soils in woods and 

 meadows in the eastern counties, 

 particularly in Essex, Suffolk, and Cam- 

 bridgeshire. It is of easy culture in collec- 

 tions of interesting plants, but is neither 

 distinct nor ornamental enough for 

 the garden. It is also known as the 

 Bardfield Oxlip. The blue Polyanthus 

 (P. e. cceruleus) is a singularly handsome 



form of it with slaty-blue flowers, and 

 this, though now rare in gardens, is well 

 worth growing. 



CULTURE. Where soil is prepared for 

 the choicer varieties, any good loam with 

 a free addition of sand, well-rotted leaf- 

 mould, and decomposed cow-manure will 

 form an admirable compost. The Poly- 

 anthus may easily be raised from seed, 

 which should be sown as soon as ripe, 

 say about the end of June. It will also 

 grow well if the seed is not sown till the 

 following spring, but by sowing imme- 

 diately nearly a year is gained. With 

 choice kinds it is better to sow the seed 

 in pans or rough wooden boxes, but for 

 ' ordinary purposes a bed of finely-pulve- 

 rised soil in the open air will suffice. 

 Sowings in early spring are better made 

 in pans or rough shallow boxes, placed 

 in cold frames, as time will be gained 

 thereby. Do not lose time by allowing 

 the seed to lie idle in the drawer all the 

 autumn and winter, but sow it as soon as 

 it is ripe, and have strong plants in the 

 following spring. 



Some species : Primula alba, S. Europe ; algida, 

 As. Min. ; Allionii, W. Europe ; amethystina, China ; 

 amcena, Persia ; angustifolia, N.W. Amer. ; auchcri, 

 Arabia ; auricula, Europe ; auriculata, As. Minor ; 

 bella, China ; bellidifolia, N. India ; bracteata, China ; 

 bullata, do. ; calliantha, do. ; capitata, Himal. ; capi- 

 tellata, As. Minor, Persia ; carniolica, Austria ; cernua, 

 China ; ciliata, Alps ; Clarkei, N. India ; Clusiana, 

 Europe ; cordifolia, Hungary ; cortusoides, Siberia, 

 Japan ; cuneffolia, Arctic regions ; daonensis, W. 

 Europe; darialica, Caucas. ; davurica, Dahurica; Dela- 

 vayi, China ; denticulata, N. India; Dickieana, do.; 

 dolomitis,'W . Europe; dryadifolia, China; egalikscnsis, 

 Arct. Amer. ; elatior, Europe ; elliptica, Himal. ; elongata, 

 do. ; El-wesiana, do. ; erosa, do. ; farinifolia, Caucas. ; 

 farinosa, N. and W. Eur. ; Fedschenkoi, Turkes.; 

 filipes, N. India; fimbriata, N. India \flava, China ; 

 Flaerkiana, Alp. N. Europe ; floribunda, N. India ; 

 froadosa,Thracia. ; Gambeliana, N.India ; geraniifolia, 

 do. ; gigantea, Siberia; glabra, N. India; glacialis, 

 China.; glaucescens,\f. ~E.moyz;glutinosa,d.o.;grandis, 

 Caucas. ; Hantpeana, Europe ; fieteroc'iroina, Persia ; 

 Heydei, Himal. ; hirsuta, N. India; Hookeri, Himal.; 

 imperialis, Java ; integrifolia, W. Europe ; involu- 

 crata, Europe, N. Asia ; japonica, Japan ; Jesoana, 

 do. ; Kaufmanniana, Central Asia ; Kingii, N. India ; 

 Kisoana, Jap. ; Kitaibeliana, Europe ; lasiopctala, 

 do. ; Listeri, N. India ; longiflora, Europe ; luteola, 

 Caucas.; macrocarpa, Japan ; .d/af*///ca,Magellans ; 

 marginata, Europe ; maxima Maximoiviczii, N. 

 China ; megasoefolia, As. Min. ; minima, Central 

 Europe ; minvtissima, N. India ; mollis, do.; moschata 

 muscoides, Himal. ; nivalis, Asia and N. Amer. ; ob- 

 conica, Ctima.;obtusifolia, N. India; officinalis, Europe 

 and As. Min. ; Olga, Turkest. ; pachyscapa, Palinuri, 

 Italy ; Parryi, N.W. Amer.; pedemontana, C. Europe; 

 petiolaris, N. India; pinnatifida, C\ima.;prolifera, N. 

 India ; pulchra, do. ; pumilio, Thibet ; pusilla, N. 

 India ; Reidii, Jap. ; reptans, N. India ; reticulata, do. ; 

 rosea, do.; rotundifplia, N. India; Rusbyi, N. Mexico, 



ensis, N. India ; simplicissima, sinensis, China ; sol- 

 danclloides, N. India ; sonchifolia, China ; spectablis, 

 Alps ; spicata, China ; stenocalyx, do. ; Stirtoniana, 

 Himal. ; stricta, N. Europe ; Stuartii, N. India ; 

 suffrutescens, Calif. ; tenella, N. India ; tyrolensis, 

 Alps ; uniflora, N. India ; urticifolia, China ; vagi- 

 nata, N. India; verticillata, Arabia; villosa, C. 

 Europe ; inscosa, Europe ; vulgaris, Europe ; Wattii, 

 N. India ; Wulfeniana, Europe ;yunnanensis, China. 



