112 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



P. Palinnri in soil composed of two parts of loam, two parts peat, one 

 part sand, and one part leaf mould, well broken down, mixed together 

 and allowed to lie for some considerable time before potting. They 

 are plunged in sand, which prevents stagnant moisture remaining 

 about their roots, a condition fatal to their well-being. Sand is also 

 cleanly and does not harbour slugs in the same way as clay and ashes 

 do. The pots should be plunged in an open position in half sun, and 

 exposed to all weathers, except during the hottest days of summer, 

 when they are all the better for a little shade. 



Firm potting is imperative, and I have the idea that the admixture 

 of a liberal allowance of broken crocks is helpful. 



Finally, to keep them in vigour I repeat they should be treated as 

 other perennials and divided frequently. This is best done imme- 

 diately after flowering, but may also be effected in early spring, when 

 root action is commencing. 



Discussion. 



The Chairman : Before I move a vote of thanks to the Lecturer, 

 I will invite any members of the audience here to ask any questions, 

 or make any remarks, on the interesting paper we have heard. I can 

 only say that I have listened with the very greatest interest to this 

 paper, knowing somewhat about Primulas, especially these European 

 species in their own native habitat, and I think the lecture to which 

 we have just listened was full of interest. In every single instance 

 which I have been able to follow — because, of course, the lecturer has 

 gone further than I have in my special knowledge — he has been most 

 accurate and most instructive. 



No questions being asked or remarks made, the Chairman called 

 on Mr. R. Farrer, F.R.H.S., to read his paper on 



' PRIMULA HYBRIDS IN NATURE.' 



Mr. R. Farrer : I must preface my remarks with the warning that 

 they are obviously the observations of a field-botanist only, and, even 

 so, of partial and limited scope. For I propose to deal especially with 

 such crosses as I have studied in siiu for myself, and my experience is 

 as yet not nearly complete, nor by any means commensurate with my 

 ambitions. Even personal inspection of a cross on some particular 

 mountain conveys no authority to speak as to its habits throughout 

 the range of its distribution ; and for exhaustive knowledge of these 

 we must go to such fortunate field-botanists as live in or near the Alps, 

 and can therefore beat up whole ranges for their game, as against the 

 occasional specimen that an Englishman on tour is able to flush in a 

 flying visit to some indicated ridge or slope. 



First of all, not to trench excessively on ground appropriate to 

 others, I must briefly point out the territories occupied by each species ; 



