FLORISTS' FLOWERS 



2& 



for growing in pots, and wintering in a cold frame, 

 as they can be had in flower some weeks before the 

 plants bloom in the open ground. 



True Single Primroses. — The common Prim- 

 rose has been greatly improved during the past ten 

 or twelve years. For years past there had been 

 noticed a tendency on the part of the common 

 Primrose, when subjected to garden cultivation, to 

 throw flowers having pale hues of lilac and rose. 

 But it was reserved for the writer of this paper 

 to make a distinct start in the way of producing 

 new, and it might be added, unimagined colours 

 in the common Primrose. For some time there has 

 been in cultivation in English gardens a pale mauve- 

 coloured Primrose under the name of P. altaica. It 

 is not this species, but by some means or the other 

 it came to take its name. The writer discovered in 

 the South of England a very rich maroon-coloured 

 single Primrose of great beauty, having also a 

 brilliant golden centre. This he secured, named it 

 auriculipjlora, and sent it out. By using this and 

 F. altaica as pollen and seed parents, quite a new 

 and striking progeny resulted, and by following up 

 the work of crossing year after year, varieties of 

 great beauty were obtained in pure white, deep 

 yellow, lilac, pink, rose, mauve, purple, and crimson 

 colours. They proved so attractive that they have 

 found their way into many gardens, where they are 

 grown for their sweet vernal beauty, and these Prim- 

 roses have now a world-wide reputation. But one 

 thing has to be noticed, that seed from true Primroses, 

 however carefully saved, will produce a number of 

 Polj^anthus types, which fact attests to their com- 

 mon origin. Therefore any one who may raise 

 Primroses from seed should select the very best 

 types that are true to character, and propagate them 

 as previously recommended in the case of the Poly- 

 anthus. A soil that suits the latter is well adapted 

 for the Primrose also. 



Double Primroses. — Then there is a very 

 interesting section of Double-flowering Primroses. 

 It is very difficult to say whence and how these 

 originated. In his dictionary, published in 1731, 

 Philip Miller mentions two double forms only, viz., 

 the double yellow and a double pale red, and he 

 states they were accidentally produced from seeds. 

 Xow we possess more than a dozen varieties. There 

 are two, if not three, forms of the yellow ; the white, 

 blush, lilac, rose ; two or three different shades of 

 red, including the purple, the beautiful rich double 

 crimson — the gem of the whole batch — and two new 

 Continental varieties of comparatively recent intro- 

 duction, viz., platypetala plena, or Arthur Dumollin, 

 deep violet, and Crotcssii, clear deep lilac. We have 



no information as to how these originated. In countr}- 

 gardens one sometimes sees large patches of the 

 double lilac and double white varieties, they being 

 the two commonest, but the other colours are seldom 

 met with. They appear to be more delicate in con- 

 stitution than the stronger single varieties. They 

 require a deep, moist, sandy loam, and will do planted 

 out in the damper districts of the Midlands, the 

 North of England, Scotland, and Ireland. In the 

 more southern parts of England, hot dry weather 

 materially affects them; they are attacked by red 

 spider, lose their leaves, and gradually die. 



We have adopted the practice of growing a col- 

 lection in pots during the autumn, winter, and spring, 

 and, when they have flowered, planting them out on a 

 north border in summer, after being divided. Wo 

 pot in autumn in small pots, using good yellow loam, 

 leaf-mould, and sand, and pressing the soil firmly 

 about the roots, and then place them in a cold frame. 

 The plants are potted deeply, so as to encourage root- 

 growth from near the lowermost leaves. When they 

 fill the small pots with roots they should have a shift, 

 but never be over- potted. 



In summer, after they are planted out, we place 

 cocoa-fibre about the plants as a covering to the 

 soil, which serves to keep the soil cool and moist, 

 and when the weather is very hot and dry we water 

 overhead with soapsuds from the house, which assists 

 to keep red spider in check. When planted out in 

 an exposed position during summer, we have found a 

 top-dressing or mulching with yellow clay a great ad- 

 vantage, as it keeps the roots moist and cool when 

 the sun and rain have pulverised it. In addition it 

 serves the purpose of covering up the roots that 

 might otherwise be exposed to the action of the sun. 



Types of Polyanthus. — There are several 

 curious types of the Polyanthus that are found in old- 

 fashioned gardens, and bear the names of Jackanapes, 

 Jack - in - the - Green, Galligaskins, Pantaloons, &c. 

 These are characterised by large green calyxes, and 

 by curiously-marked flowers. They are to some 

 extent floral curiosities, but they are very interesting 

 to those that take an interest in them. Then there 

 is what is known as the Blue Polyanthus, a some- 

 what delicate grower, with pale slaty-blue flowers. 

 It is gradually losing value, because fine-coloured 

 varieties of the Fancy Polyanthus, with deep purple 

 and blue tints, are being raised and brought into 

 cultivation, and these are of much more vigorous 

 growth. 



Cultivation.— To cultivate the Polyanthus and 

 Primrose with success in or about London, or any 

 rapidly-extending and populous city, seems to be a 

 task of greater difficulty than the cultivation of any 



