DOVJiLE PRIMROSE. 79 



growing season before the plants to enable them to become 

 established before they are called upon to make a show of 

 flowers. But there is great danger of the destruction of 

 the stock when inexperienced cultivators divide their plants 

 in summerj and our advice to all such is to leave them un- 

 disturbed until they become large thriving clumps, and then 

 to divide them in the month of August. In the meantime 

 give them liberal supplies of water in dry weather, and if 

 the soil is known to be somewhat poor, give weak liquid 

 manure once a week all through the growing season. Be 

 not alarmed at the fast growth of the leaves, for in propor- 

 tion to the leaf-growth in summer will be the splendour 

 of the flowers in the succeeding spring. All the hardy 

 primulas are hapipy on the lower shelves of a good rockery, 

 but our Primula vulgaris in all its forms is a border flower 

 if need be, though best at home in the shady parts of a 

 half-wild garden where foxgloves, and large-leaved saxi- 

 frages, and Solomon's seal, and day lilies are at home, with 

 perhaps glorious tufts of male fern and lady fern, and royal 

 Osmund, and the most delicious Eqnisetvvi -iijlraficKm. 



The primrose was always dear to the sentimental, and 

 has been well cared for by the poets. "Well indeed is its 

 advent described in Kirke White''s poem beginning — 



" Wild offspring of a dark and sullen sire .' 

 Whose modest form, so delicately fine, 

 Wa& nursed in whirling stomis 

 And cradled in the winds.'' 



Then there is Mrs. Hemans-'s poem, of which this is the 

 first stanza : — 



" I saw it in my evening walk — 

 A little lonely flower ; 

 Under a hollow hank it grew. 

 Deep in a mossy hower." 



