pri'mula. 



228 



pri'mula. 



paris, var. caulescens) and the 

 Primrose {Primula vulgaris, var. 

 acaulis) are cultivated in the same 

 soil and in the same manner as the 

 Auricula ; hut being much hardier, 

 and also naturally stronger, a larger 

 proportion of loam is used in the soil, 

 and only the more choice sorts are 

 grown in pots. Both Polyanthuses 

 and Primroses form most ornamental 

 border flowers in early spring, but 

 only the Polyanthus is what is pro- 

 perly called a florists' flower. The 

 colour of the flower of Polyanthus is 

 always yellow and brown, and the 

 finest flowers are those that have 

 the segments of the corolla flat, and 

 the circumference marked with a yel- 

 low line, the anthers of the stamens 

 being only visible, and not the pistil, 

 the anthers being arranged symme- 

 trically so as to form what florists 

 call a none eye. Sometimes the an- 

 thers are not seen, but the style and 

 stigma stand up conspicuously like a 

 large pin, and when this is the case, 

 the flowers are called pin-eyed, and 

 are considered worthless. The double 

 Polyanthus, and the red and white 

 Hose-in-hose Primrose, are two varie- 

 ties having double corollas, which may 

 be called botanists" varieties, and are 

 ornamental border flowers, but are 

 not valued by florists. Besides these, 

 however, there are a great many flo- 

 rists' varieties with names, which are 

 cultivated in pots like Auriculas. 



The Primrose is very ornamental 

 as a border flower, but it has not 

 sported so much as the Polyanthus, 

 and there are therefore no florists' 

 primroses. The border or garden va- 

 rieties, however, which are mostly 

 double, are very showy ; among these 

 the double flesh-coloured, double 

 white, double brimstone, double red, 

 double copper, double dark purple, 

 and double violet, deserve a place in 

 every garden. The single white and 

 the single red, both of which are 



found wild, are also much admired, 

 and are valuable as coming into 

 bloom in March. 



Primula elhtior, the Oxlip, has 

 a scape or flower-stem rather taller 

 than that of the Polyanthus, but the 

 flowers are not so large. There are 

 a number of varieties, but none of 

 them have been selected and named. 



Primula verts, the Cowslip, bears 

 a close resemblance to the Oxlip, but 

 is more commonly found with the 

 flowers yellow than red, and like 

 the Oxlip it is a pretty border 

 flower. The Polyanthus, the Prim- 

 rose, the Oxlip, and the Cowslip, are 

 all species of the same genus, and 

 fecundate one another readily, so that 

 an endless number of varieties may 

 be raised from seed. Where there is 

 room and leisure, this affords a great 

 source of interest to the amateur, 

 who, as every plant comes into flower 

 for the first time, is eager to observe 

 whether it presents anything new, 

 and if new, good. When a gardener 

 raises these plants from seed, and 

 finds his labour and anxiety rewarded 

 with a good variety, he is delighted, 

 and probably gratifies himself by 

 calling it some high-sounding name, 

 and promising or exchanging plants of 

 it with his friends. The seeds may 

 be gathered when the capsules are 

 ready to burst in July, and sown im- 

 mediately in a shady border, or in pots 

 or pans of loamy soil kept moist and 

 shaded. The covering should be 

 very slight, otherwise the seeds will 

 not come up. In fine seasons seeds 

 sown as soon as they are gathered, 

 will produce plants which will flower 

 in the following autumn ; but in 

 general it is necessary to wait till the 

 next spring. When the seedlings 

 have produced two or three leaves, 

 they should be transplanted into rich 

 loamy soil in a shady situation at the 

 distance of a few inches from each 

 other; and as they come into flower the 



