HEBBACEOUS ELOWEES. 



101 



varieties have been obtained, have very much the habit 

 of Strawberry-plants, with flowers mostly in shades of 

 pink, red, and crimson, of easy culture in ordinary soil, 

 and useful on rockwork. Though pleasing, they are not 

 of striking beauty. P. fruticosa, Shrubby Potentilla, 

 makes a thick bush, about a yard high, producing bright- 

 yellow flowers all summer long, and hardy in good soils 

 and sunny situations. It seldom ripens seed, but supplies 

 the defect by abundance of suckers. 



Primrose — Primula. — Double Primroses delight in 

 the same soil and situation as Polyanthuses, but are 

 somewhat less robust, being apt to damp off, go frost- 

 bitten, or succumb under the repeated ravages of slugs. 

 Somewhat disdained as florists' flowers, they still main- 

 tain, deservedly, a certain horticultural and commercial 

 value. They do well in a raised bed of leaf-mould, held 

 together by brick-work or other support, and thus meet 

 the admirer's eye half-way. There are white, yellow (at 

 least two varieties), lilac, red (several varities), crimson 

 (ditto) double Primroses, besides mottled flowers and 

 those which contain combinations of tints. They occa- 

 sionally indulge the caprice of sending up a stem, thereby 

 raising their flowers to an elevation of several inches 

 above the leaves. "When they execute this freak, they 

 may be regarded as whole-coloured double Polyanthuses, 

 Persons desirous of forming collections of double Prim- 

 roses, are advised to procure them (both for excellence, 

 variety, and cheapness) either from French or Belgian 

 Planders. Propagate by root-division, and keep a con- 

 stant eye on choice varieties, both for their health's sake 

 and to prevent kidnapping. Good double Primroses are 

 exceedingly apt to make themselves scarce. P. cortu- 

 so'ides, from Siberia, is a charming little miniature, pro- 

 ducing at the top of its stem a very large number of 

 tiny, delicate lilac flowers, and requires the same treat- 

 ment as the above, with the advantage that it may be 

 raised from seed. As yet, not a common plant. The 

 P. Sinensis, Chinese Primrose, is mainly useful for the 

 winter decoration of living-apartments. It is nearly 

 scentless, very gay, and lasts long in bloom. There are 



