IV.— PRIMULAS (ALPINE AND BOG-LOVING) 



No genus of hardy plants surpasses that of Primula 

 for infinite charm, diversity, and utility; for which 

 reasons it has been decided to include a chap- 

 ter bearing on the cultivation of the more im- 

 portant kinds. In order, too, to render this chapter 

 of greater service, it has been divided into two parts 

 as suggested above. It may be, however,, that in 

 some degree, here and there, the twain will be so 

 closely linked together as to appear inseparable, since 

 it is an incontestable fact that a large number of the 

 bog-loving kinds are " alpine " in the truest and widest 

 sense. The main object in mind,, however, is to 

 differentiate between those dwarf-growing species so 

 eminently fitted for cultivation in the rock garden, 

 be it large or small, and that glorious race of moderns, 

 denizens largely of the boggy mountainous regions 

 of the Chinese Alps, which, by reason of stature, bold- 

 ness, wondrous flowering, and proUfic seed-produc- 

 tion, are better adapted for gardening on a more lavish 

 scale in woodland places or wherever congenial con- 

 ditions obtain. 



Rock Garden Kinds 



These are of lowly stature and well suited for 

 colonising with a free hand. Most interesting among 

 them is the yellow-flowered alpine Primula, P. 

 auricula, one of the parents of the great race of gar- 

 den-raised Auriculas. It is valuable, too, by reason 

 of vigour and hardiness, while of that arborescent 

 stemmed type which needs attention periodically in 

 order to retain perfect health. Succeeding in cool 



