but what do all thefe prove ? why that the Primu/a, like moft other plants, 1s fubje& to the fportings of nature, 
and which are no more to be regarded than the uncommon colours of a flower; the root or the flalk of a plant 
may be equally fubje& to vary as the bloffom, and thofe who cultivate plants fee frequent inflances of it: I 
once had a daify which became caulefcent, that is, its peduncle became a ftalk which threw out many peduncles 
bearing flowers, the terminal one of which was proliferous, but no one from fuch an uncommon inflance would 
infer that the acau/s character of the daify was invalidated ; itis juft fo in my humble opinion with regard to the 
Primrofe, in general the peduncles {pring fingly from the root, and in forming its fpecific character we mutt be 
guided by their ufual and genuine appearance. . 
Befides the firiking character drawn from the inflorefcence, a very material difference is obfervable in 
other parts of the plant, betwixt it and the Cowflip at leaft; to fay nothing of the leaves, which have been 
noticed by Ray m a contrafted point of view, wd. Syn. ed. 3. p. 283. how different is the corolla in fize and 
fhape, and how very different is the calyx ? . 
In their natural place of growth, and time of flowering, we obferve a very material difference betwixt thefe 
two plants; the Primrofe loves fhelter, and the light umbrage of deciduous trees, through the leaflefs {prays of 
which it may enjoy the vernal fun, and when its flowering 1s over, be fhaded from its too potent rays by the 
expanding foliage ; hence we find it moft commonly in woods, copfes, hedge-rows, at the foot of hedges, and 
in fheltered lanes, where it is one of the firft of our plants which awakens to the genial warmth of the fun, 
and welcomes the returning year; if the feafon be mild it will flower from March to May, its higheit ftate of 
bloom 1s with that of the Wood Anemone; it is alfo much difpofed to flower in the autumn, and even during 
winter if the weather be not fevere: the Cowllip very rarely manifefts a difpofition of this fort, contented once 
to fhew its freckled bloom; inftead of woods and their attendant fhade, this muft be fought for in open paftures, 
and meadows, where it courts that degree of fun which would prove fatal to the Primrofe, it flowers in May 
with the early /potted Orcbis. (Orchis mafcula ). 
The ufual colour of the Primrofe bloffom is pale fulphur, in fome parts of the kingdom they are faid to be 
found wild of a purple hue; to enumerate all the varieties which have fprung from accident, or culture, would 
afford little entertainment or inftru&ion ; fuffice it to fay that many of them are very ornamental, and highly 
deferving of our care; the following are the moft ftriking varieties which I have yet had it in my power to 
cultivate, the siNGLE white flowered, the paper white, which Mr. Mirrzn fays, without affigning any reafon, is 
certainly a diftinét fpecies, the red or purple of various fhades, the hofe in hofe; the pouBLE yellow, the deep 
velvet red, the pale red, or flefb-coloured ; the white and the dingy purple, called by fome the Scotch Primrofe ; 
all thefe are charming ornaments for the fhrubbery, the fix laft are plants of fome value, and duplicates of 
them fhould be kept in pots, which during fummer muft be placed in fome fhady fituation ; in the fpring the 
fhelter of a green-houfe will bring them forward, and make them flower to advantage, and as they bloffom 
very early, they will tend to enliven a collection of more rare and valuable plants. 
That curious variety called by Grrarp and Parkinson Mafer HzskgTu's Primrofe, we have not met with 
in the collections about London ; we hope it may yet remain in fome part of the kingdom, as it appears 
deferving of culture from its great fingularity ; it is faid by PARnKINsON to bear not only fingle flowers upon 
feverall ftalkes, but fometimes two or three fingle flowers upon one ftalk, and alfo at the fame time a bigger 
'ftalke, and fomewhat higher, having one green hufke at the toppe thereof, fometimes broken on the one fide, 
and fometimes whole, in the middle whereof ftandeth fometimes divers fingle flowers thruft together, vide its - 
fig. in his Parad. terr. The following is GERAnRD's account of it, * There is a enge Primrofe founde 
* growing wilde, in Clapdale-Wood, near Settle, in Yorkíhire, by the travel, and in uftry of a learned 
* gentleman of Lancafhire, called mafter Thomas Hesxern, and a diligent fearcher of Simples, who hath 
* not only brought to light this amiable and pleafant kind of Primrofe, but many others likewife, never before 
* his time remembred, or founde out. This kinde of Primrofe hath leaves, and rootes like the wilde fielde 
* Primrofe, in eche refpe&t, it bringeth forth among the leaves a naked ftalke of a greyifh or overworne 
* greenifh colour, at the top whereof doth growe in the winter time one flower, and no more, like unto that 
* fingle one of the fielde; but in the fummer time it bringeth foorth a foft ruffet hufke or hofe, wherein are 
* conteined many {mal flowers, fometimes fower or five and oftentimes more, very thicke thrufl together, 
* which maketh one entire flower, feeming to be one of the common double Primrofes, whereas indeed 
* jt is one double flower made of a number of {mal fingle flowers, never ceafing to beare flowers winter 
* nor fummer as before 1s fpecified." 
While we are thus defcribing the varieties to which this plant is fubjeét, it may not be amifs to obferve 
that the flamina alfo vary greatly in their fituation, being fometimes found low down in the tube of the 
bloffom, fometimes at its mouth, in the former inftance the Piftillum which varies alfo in length fhews its 
round ftigma, and with its attendant ftyle looks like a pin, ftuck in the centre of the flower; fuch flowers 
i» the Polyanthus are termed pin-eyed, while thofe in which the anthere clofe the mouth of the tube, 
are called thrum-eyed, and this latter appearance in the opinion of the florift is an effential requifite in 
a good flower. | A 
The contemplative mind feels a complacency in furveying the improvements which Providence permits 
to take place, in that part of the animal and vegetable world which mankind have brought under their | 
care and proteétion, many inftances of thefe might be adduced from the more ufeful and neceffary pro- 
ductions, but it is not thofe only that amend under our care, we are permitted alfo to gratify our fight with the 
endlefs varieties that flowers put on, when cultivated by the curious; nor in any one inftance does 
* The exulting Florift mark 
* aith fecret pride the wonders of his hand” 
more than in the boundlefs luxuriance that Polyanthufes affume, their parent the Primrofe being a native, 
they face the feverity of the winds of March much mire boldly than any foreign plants, natives of 
warmer climates. | ) 
LixwEus indeed cautions Botanifls againft being feduced by the gaudy tints, that fafcinate the mere florift, 
but furely we may fafely admire, without fixing our attention wholly on the flower-bed. 
The Primrofe comes in for a fhare alfo of medicinal fame. 
The leaves and the root of Primrofe feem to partake in fome degree of the nature of thofe of 
Afarum, aéting as ftrong errhines, or fternutatories, when fnufled up the nole, and as emetics (the roots at 
leaft) when taken inwardly ; GzRaRp reports as from the experience of a flalful practitioner, that a drachm 
and a half of the powder of thé dried roots taken up in autumn purgeth by vomit very forcibly, but fafely, 
in fuch manner as Afarum doth. | Lewis M. M. ' 
~The root affords a good example of the radix dentata, the tubercles forming the teeth, arife as in moft 
roots of the kind from the remains of the bafe of the leaf, and hence from their number fome idea may be 
forméd of the age of the plant. i 
