THE PRIMULAS, 



2 5 



Japanese Primroses, has little in com- 

 mon with that of the alpine species 

 which must be tended for months in cold 

 frames, and sometimes lie dormant for 

 as much as eighteen months without 

 sign of growth. Such kinds should be 

 sown in a mixture of light loam and 

 sand leaving the surface somewhat rough 

 and uneven. Without regard to any 

 save differences of culture, the garden 

 Primulas may be thrown into four classes 

 as follows : the rock-plants which must 

 be grown between stones or in beds of 

 moss ; those growing in the marsh or 

 bog-garden ; a third class of delicate 

 plants needing peat soil ; and a fourth, 

 of garden plants easily grown. 



Section I. Rock Plants. — This section 

 embraces the Primroses of Europe, many of 

 them found high amongst the mountains, and 

 of which the Auricula may be taken as an 

 example. They all possess strong fleshy roots 

 acting as a reserve of sap for the entire plant; 

 this tap root is deeply sunk between the stones 

 of the mountain side or the rock-garden, 

 spreading a wonderful network of fibres into 

 every cranny and fissure, and showing special 

 adaptation to the conditions in which the 

 plants are found. This great root-system en- 

 ables them to withstand the severe drought 

 to which they are at times subject. For soil, 

 all they require is a little light humus, well 

 drained, for they perish with the least excess 

 of stagnant moisture. They delight in free ex- 

 posure but not full sunlight, and are injured 

 by smoke or fog. The flowers of this group 

 include many of the most brilliant of the fa- 

 mily, but of these I can only mention the most 

 important. 



Allioni's Primrose (P. Allionii). — A rare 

 plant found only in parts of the Maritime Alps, 

 at a height of 4,000 to 5,000 feet, growing in 

 fissures of the limestone rocks as dense tufts of 

 gummy leaves arranged in rosettes, from the 

 centre of which appear one or two flowers 

 about an inch across, of mauve with a white 

 eye. It flowers in May, thriving best in half- 

 shade and between flat rocks. 



Auricula (P. auricula). — Found at from 

 1 4,000 to 7,000 feet in the Apennines and Car- 

 pathians, growing in full sun in crannies of the 

 limestone rocks. It is the origin of the garden 

 Auricula, with flowers of orange-yellow with 

 a lighter eye, and very fragrant. April and 

 May. 



Carniolic Primrose (P. carniolicd). — 

 From the Alps of Carinthia at a height of 

 3,000 to 4,500 feet. Leaves bright green, 

 smooth, shining, and undulated, with clusters 

 j of three to fifteen mauve-coloured flowers in 

 April and May. Old plants form spreading 

 tufts, our finest being more than a foot across. 



Clusius Primrose (P. Clusiana). — Grows 

 in the limestone mountains of Austria at a 

 height of 3,000 to 6,500 feet, and is one of the 

 most beautifulbut rarelyfound trueingardens. 

 Its ovalleaves are of dark green, not dotted and 

 gummy like those of spectabilis, nor grey and 

 stiff like those of glaucescens (the two kinds 

 which oftenest do duty for it in collections), 

 but faintly edged with white, while the flowers 

 are large, of bright violet-rose, and composed 

 of lobes divided to their middle, unlike those 

 of glaucescens, which are more deeply cut. 

 April to June. 



Como Primrose (P. glaucescens). — This 

 species grows in the mountains around Lake 

 Como up to a height of 4,000 feet. Its leaves 

 are of pale greyish-green, smooth, rigid, not 

 gummy, but edged with a strong band or ner- 

 vure which is very marked; fine large flowers 

 of violet-rose in March and April, very free, 

 and of easy culture. 



Glutinous Primrose (P. glutinosd). — A 

 plant of the eastern and granitic Alps, growing 

 in large colonies up to 6,000 feet and fragrant 

 in all its parts. Its leaves are small and narrow, 

 fleshy, covered with gum, and finely toothed; 

 the short flower-stems bear one to six flowers 

 of bright bluish-purple during April and May. 

 It is of difficult culture, requiring wet, peaty 

 soil, full sunlight, and to be grown in groups, 

 for it dies out when isolated. 



Hairy-leaved Primrose (P. hirsuta). — 

 Of the Alps and Pyrenees, in granite soils only 

 and at a height of 2,000 to 7,000 feet ; is often 

 grown under the name of viscosa. The leaves 

 are hairy, oblong, deeply toothed, and sharply 

 contracted towards the flower-stem, which 

 bears beautiful clusters of two to fifteen flowers 



