Part II. PRIMULA. 297 



plant which, when plentiful, ought to be popular everywhere. It 

 is said to be the pride of all the Primroses of the mountains 

 of India, inhabiting wet boggy localities, at elevations of from 

 12,000 to 17,000 feet, and covering acres of ground with its yellow 

 flowers. Must be propagated by division, as it rarely or never 

 matures its seeds in this country. 



PRIMUTjA %'S^3KB.'i^l,—Stuarfs Primrose. 



A NOBLE and vigorous yellow Primrose, a native of the moun- 

 tains of Northern India, to some parts of which, according to 

 Royle, it gives a rich yellow glow. It grows about sixteen 

 inches high, has leaves nearly a foot long, lanceolate, mealy 

 below, smooth above, and sharply serrated ; the umbels being 

 many-flowered. Like P. denticulata and the purple Primrose, 

 the place most suitable for this is some perfectly drained and 

 sheltered spot on slightly elevated rockwork ; if convenient, 

 plant it against the base of rocks, which will shelter it from 

 cutting winds, though, when sufficiently plentiful, this precaution 

 may be dispensed with. A light deep soil, never allowed to get 

 dry or arid in summer, will suit it well. 



PRIMULA VISCOSA.— Viscid Primrose. 



This is the lovely little Primrose that travellers who visit the Alps 

 in early summer see opening its clear rosy-purple flowers with 

 white eyes at various altitudes ; sometimes, in crossing a high pass, 

 it comes into view, plant, flower and all, not bigger than a shil- 

 ling, but still bravely flowering^indeed, nearly all flower ; while 

 on sunny slopes and in the valleys it may be seen nearly as 

 large as the Auricula. It is known by its dark-green obovate or 

 suborbicular leaves with close-set teeth, covered with glandular 

 hairs, and viscid on both sides ; the flower-stems, which elevate 

 the sweet blooms barely above the foliage, being also viscid. It 

 is well-adapted for rockwork, on which it may be grown in any 

 position in light peaty or spongy loam, with about one-half its 

 bulk of fine sand, provided its roots are kept moist during 

 the dry season. A native of the Alps and Pyrenees ; easily 

 increased by division, and may also be raised from seed. 

 Varieties are sometimes found with white flowers, but rarely. 

 It is sometimes grown under the name of P. villosa. The 

 handsome purple Primroses known in gardens under the name 



