8 GARDENING FOR BEGINNERS 



culas. A green caterpillar also feeds voraciously on them; but this 

 is found easily in the day time. Decayed leaves should be removed 

 periodically, as if allowed to remain they may materially damage the 

 plants. 



A list of the best varieties may be useful (raiser's name in brackets). 

 They are as follows : 



Green edged Abbe" Liszt (Douglas) ; Abraham Barker (Lord) ; 

 Champion (Page) ; Mrs. Henwood (Barlow) ; Rev. F. D. Homer 

 (Simonite) ; Shirley Hibberd (Simonite). The above are the six best. 

 Prince of Greens (Trail) was much esteemed a few years ago, but owing 

 to some defect in its constitution, it has gone a good deal out of culti- 

 vation. Grey-edged There are a considerable number of choice varieties 

 in this class. The best is still George Lightbody (Headly) ; although it 

 was in cultivation over forty years ago, it holds its own with the best. 

 George Rudd (Woodhead) ; Lancashire Hero (Lancashire) ; Mabel 

 (Douglas) ; Marmion (Douglas) ; Richard Headly (Lightbody) ; Silvia 

 (Douglas) ; William Brockbank (Mellor). Ringleader (Kenyon) in this 

 class is still cultivated ; it is the reputed parent of George Lightbody. 

 and the best of the very old grey-edged Auriculas. In the white- 

 edged class there are some choice and very pretty varieties, and per- 

 haps the best is Acme (Read) ; it is very perfect, forms a hand- 

 some truss, and a perfect white-edged corolla. Conservative (Douglas) ; 

 Frank (Simonite) ; John Simonite (Walker) ; Mrs. Dodwell (Wood- 

 head) ; Ne Plus Ultra (Smith), an old variety, but very distinct, 

 and has a pure white edge ; Snowdon's Knight (Douglas) ; True Briton 

 (Hep worth). The self-edged class, as previously stated, is distinct from 

 the others. The best of them are : Black Bess (Woodhead) ; Butter- 

 cup (Homer) \ Heroine (Homer) ; Lord of Lome (Campbell) ; Mrs. 

 Potts (Barlow) ; Raven (Simonite) ; Ruby (Simonite). Pizarro (Camp- 

 bell) is the best of the older varieties, and at one time held first place 

 as the best self. 



Alpine Auriculas. These are a different class of plants from the 

 show varieties, and have been produced as garden varieties from a 

 different parentage, probably Primula pubescens. They are easily 

 cultivated, and will thrive well in the open garden, and they 

 form as handsome rock garden plants as it is possible to conceive. 

 No other plants have that peculiar distinct tint of crimson-maroon 

 and blood-red shaded maroon ; also the lovely lilac and purple maroon 

 tinted colours. They are really hardy garden plants, and like a medium 

 clay loam, with a moist subsoil in summer. The fanciers grow the finer 

 varieties in flower-pots, and when this is done they require similar 

 treatment to the Show Auriculas, but as neither the foliage nor the 

 corolla has any farina upon it, the plants do not suffer from rain, and 

 they can have what both sections appreciate greatly abundance of fresh 

 air ; and they suffer but little from frost winds. The late Mr. Charles 

 Turner of Slough was the first to produce choice varieties. Other culti- 

 vators have further improved the garden varieties, and there are now 

 many choice and distinct kinds in cultivation. The best at the present 

 are as follows : Admiral, dark red, shading to reddish bronze ; A. R. 



