PRIMULA CONFERENCE. 



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perpetuated themselves in P. X Facchinii, P. x Dumoulini, P. X 

 Juribella, P. X Deschmanni (in both its forms, serralifulia and 

 vochinensis) . This last I have not yet collected (minima x Wulfeniana ; 

 in Carinthia and the Karawanken), but this season brought me dis- 

 appointment when I revisited the haunts of P. x Juribella, Siindermann, 

 to see it in flower. This inhabits the high limestones north of the Rolle 

 Pass, where iyrolensis in masses shares the crevices with Campanula 

 Moretiiana, and P. minima occupies the highest banks and ridges in 

 company with its offspring (which is clearly minima X iyrolensis, 

 and much closer to minima). But while, from minima, P. x Juribella 

 inherits a thin and floppy outline, from iyrolensis it has drawn, not 

 the splendid amplitude of blossom, but the rather aniline and virulent 

 tone of colour that is the one fault to be found with that exquisite 

 brother of the even more exquisite (and so far, childless) P. Allionii. 

 One has to hunt long before one comes upon outstanding forms of 

 P. x Juribella (iyrolensis itself seems to vary comparatively little), and 

 the plant, though easy of culture, and very brilliant, has not altogether 

 the fullness of charm that one might have hoped. Much more noble 

 are the crosses of minima and speciabilis. As it is impossible to render 

 aloud the shades of influence described in the Vienna Conference's 

 new and much more sensible rule for the definition of crosses (as 

 P. x minima < speciabilis, P. x minima > speciabilis, and so on, to 

 denote the precise degree of prevalence in either parent) I will continue, 

 for the sake of clearness, to use the Paxian names of P. X Facchinii, 

 Schott, and P. X Dumoulini, Stein, for this cross, of which Facchinii 

 more nearly approaches minima and Dumoulini, speciabilis. These 

 occur only in the very small district of Mid-Giudicaria where minima, 

 speciabilis, oenensis, and Auricula meet. On the high ridge of the 

 Frate di Breguzzo in early June, with snow still lying deep over the 

 classical Magiassone Alp down on the northern side of the Col, some 

 hundred yards of arete, and those hundred yards alone, were ablaze 

 with minima, Facchinii, Dumoulini, and a few rare speciabilis (with 

 P. X discolor occurring in one specimen, and P. X coronata hardly less 

 rare) . 



Nothing indeed is more curious and striking, I think, than the 

 extremely local occurrence of these minima crosses. Their parents 

 may carpet all the hills ; the hybrid will be found in one or two very 

 circumscribed spots. And those spots, it is odd to notice, will very 

 generally be on a high exposed arete or pass. Though the whole of 

 the Hochschneeberg be a garden of minima and Clusiana, it is only 

 upon one small patch on the ridge of the Kaiserstein that my utmost 

 search has been able to discover intermedia ; it is to one steep slope 

 that Juribella adheres ; it is on a sharp high crest that Facchinii and 

 Dumoulini abound. They are beautiful little Primulas, brilliant in 

 colour, neat and compact in their ramifying tufts. Yet minima, 

 though it has not been able quite to counteract the opulent splendour 

 of speciabilis, has infused a certain thinness of texture and starri- 

 ness of form here also ; and into the clear and lucent rose-pink of 



