PKIM ULA CONJr'EKEXCE . 



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In a breadth of its brilliant bloom, there is the effect as of 

 many eyes turned steadfastly upon their admirers ; and there are 

 faces in the flowery crowd on which one may read many expres- 

 sions of a life and character super-floral. Like as in a bed of 

 Pansies there are many comical casts of countenance, expressive 

 of astonishment, anxious inquiry, perplexity, and brown study ; 

 so here, in an exhibition of the Auricula, as representative of its 

 beauty as can possibly be made, the flowers look all gentleness, 

 candour, honesty, simplicity, and refinement. 



Glaring faults that impart a low and evil look are all 

 absent here ; and hence I am not able to submit to you how 

 impudent and barefaced is the " pin-eyed " flower, wherein the 

 stigma, protruding from the hollow throat, is like a tongue 

 thrust out. Neither, how loose and vacant is the expression of 

 the inordinately large tube ; and how cunning and cold that of 

 one too small. Nor how lack of breadth, in the eye or " paste *' 

 of the flower, is like that in other eyes which cannot look you in 

 the face ; and how narrow ground colours betoken indecision 

 and want of thoroughness. " Edges " have their own expression, 

 too ; something like meamiess when too narrow, and akin to 

 bounce in over-breadth ; for excess of edge is often concurrent 

 with excess of size, and coarseness, almost inseparable from 

 immensity hi the Auricula, is one of its gravest faults. 



Had it been practicable, a representative collection of failures 

 in desired qualities would have formed a very clear illustration 

 of mistakes. Yet I would not say it would be convincing ; for 

 invariably the uninitiated friend who comes to tell you which of 

 all you have he likes the best, settles his admiration upon some- 

 thing that has set at naught all proper principles, and he does 

 violence to your feelings by approving of it. But the greatest 

 ordeal of praise I ever had was the remark, transparently inno- 

 cent, of an old country parishioner, " They almost come up to 

 artificials, sir ! " 



The question in what direction efforts should be made for 

 improving the florists' flowers of the genus Primula resolves 

 itself, descriptively, into the statement of the shortcomings more 

 or less prominent and obstinate ; prospectively, into what the 

 possibilities are of which hopeful shadows in faint shape are cast 

 before ; and practically, in what system of experiments we 

 should seek to overcome the faults, and win into reality the 



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