744 



PRIMULA 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



PR UN US. 



which is quite destitute of the bosses 

 present in the Primrose and Cowslip. 

 It is found on clayey soils in woods and 

 meadows in the eastern counties of 

 England, particularly in Essex, Suffolk, 

 and Cambridgeshire. It is of easy 

 culture, and is most suitable for collec- 

 tions of interesting plants, but is neither 

 distinct nor ornamental enough for 

 limited collections of ornamental kinds. 

 It is also known as the Bardfield Oxlip. 

 The blue Polyanthus (P. e. cceruleus) is a 

 singularly handsome variety of it with 

 slaty-blue flowers. It is now rare in gar- 

 dens, but 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 be raised with great facility 

 from seed, which should be sown imme- 

 diately after it is gathered, say about the 

 end of June. It will indeed grow with 

 vigour if the seed is not sown till the 

 following spring, but by sowing it imme- 

 diately nearly a year is gained. The 

 amateur wishing to raise choice kinds 

 had better sow the seed in pans or rough 

 wooden boxes, but for ordinary purposes 

 a bed of finely-pulverised soil in the open 

 air will answer to perfection. Sowings 

 in early spring are better made in pans 

 or rough shallow boxes, placed in cold 

 frames, as time will be gained thereby. 

 The best plan is not to lose time by 

 allowing the seed to lie idle in the drawer 

 all the autumn and winter, but to sow it 

 as soon as it is ripe, and have strong 

 plants in the following spring. 



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

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

 amcena, Persia ; angtistifolia, N.W. Amer. ; aucheri 

 Arabia; auricula, Europe; auriculata, As. Minor 

 bella, China ; bcllidifolia, N. India ; bractrata, 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 ; cuneifolia, Arctic regions ; daonensis, W 

 Europe ; darialica, Caucas. ; davurica, Dahurica 

 Delavayi, China ; denticulata, N. India ; Dickieana 

 do.; dolomitis^N . Europe ; dryadifolia, China ; egalik 

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

 elongata, do. ; Ehvesiana, do. ; erosa, do. ; farinifolia 

 Caucas. ; farinosa, N. Amer. ; Fedschenkoi, Turkes. 

 filipes, N. India; fintbriata, N. India; flava, China 

 Floerkeana, Alp. N. Europe ; jloribunda, N. India 

 frond0sa,1hr&c.\.a. ; Gambeliana, N.India ; geraniifolia 

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

 China ;glaucescens?N . Europe; glutinosa, do. \grandis 

 Caucas. ; Hampeana, Europe ; hcterochroma, Persia 

 Heydei, Himal. ; htrsuta, 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 ; lasiopetala 

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

 Caucas.; macrocarpa, Japan ; J/o^//azVa,Magellans 

 tnarginata, Europe ; maxima Maximoiviczii, N. 

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

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



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

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

 j and As. Min.; Olgte, Turkest. ; pacJiyscapa, Palinuri, 

 I Italy; Parryi, VLW.Ajuer.^^eaetmtfttana, C. Europe; 

 peteolaris, X. India; pinnati'fida, China \proliftTii. X. 

 India ; pulchra, do. ; piuniiio, Thibet ; pusilia, X. 

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

 rosea, do.; rotundifolia, N. India ; Ritsbyi, X T . Mexico; 

 sapphirina, N. India ; secundiflora,(2\\ma. ', scptanloba, 

 do. ; serratifolia, do. ; sibirica, Asia and Arct. Amer. ; 

 Sibthorpi, Spain and Greece Sieboldi, Jap. ; Sikkim- 

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

 danelloides, N. India ; sonchifolia, China ; spcctablis, 

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

 Himal.; stricta, N. Europe; Stuart ii, X. India; 

 suffrutescens, Calif. ; tenclla, X. India ; tyrolcnsis, 

 Alps ; uniftora, N. India ; urticifolia, China ; ragi- 

 nata, N. India ; verticillata, Arabia ; I'illosa, C. 

 Europe ; tnscosa, Europe ; vulgaris, Europe ; M'attii, 

 N. India; IVnlfeniana, Europe ',yuiinant'nsis, China. 



PRUNELLA (Large Se//-/ieaf).Th\s 

 handsome and vigorous plant P. gniihii- 

 flora is readily distinguished IDV its 

 large flowers from the common British 

 Self-heal (P. vulgaris), which is unworthy 

 of cultivation. There is a white and a 

 purple variety, both handsome plants, 

 thriving in almost any soil, but preferring 

 one moist and free, and a somewhat shaded 

 position. In winter they are apt to go off 

 on the London clay, at least on the level 

 ground, but are well suited for mixed 

 borders, banks, or copses. The variety 

 laciniata has deeply-cut leaves. Europe. 

 Flowering in summer. P. pyrenaica 

 (Pyrenean Self-heal) is allied to the pre- 

 ceding, and is considered a variety of it. 

 It is alDOUt 10 in. high, and its beautiful 

 violet-purple flowers are larger than those 

 of P. grandiflora. It should have the 

 treatment recommended for P. grandiflora. 

 Labiatas. Syn. Brunella. 



PRUNUS (Plum, Almond, Peach, Apri- 

 cot, Cherry, Bird Cherry, Cherry-Laurel]. 

 Bentham and Hooker in the " Genera 

 Plantarum" united under Primus the 

 whole of the species which had at an 

 earlier date been known under one or 

 other of the following names : Amygdalus, 

 Persica, Armeniaca, Prunus, Cerasus, 

 Padus, and Lauro-Cerasus. This arrange- 

 ment, which was necessary from the fact 

 that no well-defined line could be drawn 

 between them, has resulted in some con- 

 fusion in garden nomenclature. And we 

 may see in consequence two Apricots, 

 may be, growing side by side, the older 

 one called Armeniaca, the newer one 

 Prunus. In the following notes the whole 

 of the species dealt with are considered as 

 Prunus and are arranged alphabetically ; 

 and some, not of much garden value, or 

 those not hardy in Britain, are excluded. 

 But it will be of some value perhaps to 

 first show the section to which each 

 belongs. 



THE ALMONDS AND PEACHES. AMYGDALUS. 

 P. Amygdalus, P. Davidiana, P. incana, P. iiana, 

 P. orientalis, P. Persica, P. Simoni. 



