ON THE PRIMULAS 299 



beds and borders annual transplanting is not necessary, 

 but they may be split up sometimes. 



Primroses for Beds. These beautiful hardy Auriculas, 

 Polyanthuses, and Primroses are charming for spring 

 beds, and many use them in addition to Wallflowers, 

 Daffodils, Tulips, and other spring flowers. Easily and 

 cheaply raised in quantity from seed, they bear trans- 

 planting with impunity, so that they can be put into beds 

 in autumn when the summer flowers have faded, and 

 moved out again in late spring when they pass out of 

 flower to make room for summer and autumn-flowering 

 plants. So delightful are they, with their masses of 

 foliage and sheets of brilliant flowers, that few spring 

 flowers can vie with them, and they are pleasantly, 

 although not powerfully, scented. It is much to be 

 regretted that they are not quite suitable for town 

 gardens, but the truth is that they dislike the grime of 

 a smoke-laden atmosphere. 



Auriculas. The townsman who is enamoured of the 

 Primula genus might do worse than grow a collection of 

 Auriculas in pots, for they are refined and interesting 

 flowers. But the culture is special, and the plants some- 

 what expensive. It is customary for Auricula-lovers to 

 devote a frame to their favourites, which they set to face 

 the north in summer and the south in winter. . The 

 plants bloom in late spring, and are re-potted after 

 flowering, when such offsets as have formed are taken off 

 and potted separately. They are given abundance of 

 air throughout the summer, and also in fine spells in 

 winter, but are kept close in foggy weather. The 

 varieties in the show section are classified according to 

 the prevailing ring of colour, e.g. Green-edged, White- 

 edged, Grey-edged. The Alpines are larger, and have a 

 broad belt of purple. 



