CHINESE PRIMULAS. 



105 



Lindley named and described it in his " Nomenclator Botanicus," 

 which appeared in 1821, but it does not even figure in the second 

 edition of Loudon's " Encyclopedia of Gardening," issued in 

 1824 ; it may therefore be concluded that even in England the 

 dissemination of the Primula proceeded but very slowly. The 

 Deutsche Garten-Mag azin contained a plate and description in 

 1824. Sprengel's " Systema Vegitabilium " mentions P. prce- 

 iiitens, with synonym, as early as 1825 ; and in Bosse's " Hand- 

 buch dcr Blumcngartnerci " were comprehended already nine 

 varieties, viz. alba, densiflora alba, densiflora rubra, fimbriata 

 rubra, fimbriata alba, alba flore-pleno, monstrosa, striata, and 

 viridi 'flora. 



" 1 When the plant came to Germany I cannot say, but 

 probably before 1830. I myself got to know it in the spring of 

 1837 in Hamburg, where I sketched one of the few specimens 

 then growing in the Botanic Garden of that city. The advance 

 in the culture of this Primula, and the raising of the nine varieties 

 (including the fimbria ta alba) named by Bosse, took place between 

 the years 1837 and 1842. From this it follows that, as my 

 becoming a florist dates from 1847 only, I cannot have been the 

 raiser of the fimbriata alba. On the other hand, as far as my 

 knowledge goes, I was the first to considerably improve this 

 originally poor and inconstant variety, and this I did between 

 the years 1847 and 1852, saving a certain quantity of seed, 

 which was disposed of to the principal seed firms of Germany. 

 Primula fimbriata rubra and P. filicifolia I saw first of all in 

 Mr. Ernst Benary's establishment, and have always considered 

 him to be the raiser of the last-named.' (This supposition of 

 Mr. Schwabe's is, Mr. Benary says, quite correct.) 



" ' About 1854 a few plants having long crispate leaves made 

 their appearance with me too, but, not finding the form particu- 

 larly remarkable, I discontinued growing it. I also raised a 

 white un-fimbriated Primula, with dark foliage, and called it 

 rubicaulis flore albo, but a few years later the somewhat similar 

 but much more beautiful fimbriata striata was raised by Mr. 

 Ernst Benary. My rubicaulis was rapidly superseded thereby, 

 and soon sank into oblivion.' " 



Having thus traced the early history of the plant until the 

 moment of its "improvement" by hybridists, I think we may 

 best connect its early history with modern practice by a table, 



