PRIMULA. 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



PRIMULA. 



743 



that can be massed by shady walks in 

 pleasure-grounds, and some may be 

 employed as edgings. Many varieties 

 are worthy of being naturalised abund- 

 antly in pleasure-grounds and along wood 

 walks, though the enthusiastic florist 

 grows the finer ones in pots. Poly- 

 anthuses are scarcely to be recommended 

 for using in masses in the spring garden 

 as much as the finer varieties of the 

 Primrose, since in order to be admired 

 they require to be seen rather closely ; 

 but wherever flowers are placed for 

 their beauty rather than their effect 

 as colour, Polyanthuses are invaluable, 

 and they should be seen in strong 

 colonies in shrubberies and borders. 



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 



row with the same facility as the others, 

 he 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 



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 



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, 



