2l8 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



depression of altitude, the plant becomes larger, more robust, quite 

 glabrous, often mealy, and the bracts foliaceous. General Sir J. 

 Macdonald sent me many years ago samples of this plant from the 

 Khyber Pass. These, in my opinion, break down the separation of 

 P. verticillata — the Abyssinian member of this series — from P. flori- 

 bunda. You are all aware, gentlemen, that a hybrid plant appeared 

 some years ago at Kew, between these two species. This has since 

 been grown by many Primula cultivators, and much has been said 

 regarding the extraordinary improvement thereby effected, the hybrid 

 being in some respects superior to either of its ancestors. The leaves 

 are large, glabrous, and copiously coated with white farina. These 

 facts but confirm the observations to which I have endeavoured to 

 invite your attention. The two plants are closely allied ; hence 

 hybridization, in my opinion, becomes natural and easy. And the new 

 form followed the tendency of becoming more luxuriant under altered 

 circumstances, exactly as P. floribunda does naturally in India on 

 passing westward to lower altitudes. 



Recently my friend Mr. J. H. Lace made a delightful discovery in 

 Quetta of a new species belonging to the Floribunda section which has 

 now been named P. Lacei. This has a suffruticose habit, and frequents 

 shady places in limestone rocks. It is very much more beautiful than 

 any other member of this group, its soft woolly leaves being in them- 

 selves very charming, but its flowers are very beautiful. For the size 

 of the plant they are remarkably large, and of a delicate yellow colour. 



I fear I must have trespassed sadly on your patience. But I have 

 endeavoured to bring before your mind's eye a panorama of the Indian 

 Primulas assorted under a new classification. The contention that I 

 have tried all through to impress upon you is not the merits of that 

 classification per se. It doubtless has many defects, but it seems to me 

 to bring together plants that are related to each other. If this be so, we 

 have the key to successful cultivation and to future hybridization ; for, 

 while I believe anything possible, I am convinced that to be successful 

 hybridization should advance stage by stage with the closely allied 

 forms before the more remote are attempted. And what is even more 

 important, I am convinced that hybridization should not only follow 

 the guiding hand of systematic affinity, but be governed by observation 

 of habitats and dispositions. P. Traillii, I have shown you, is 

 structurally related to P. prolifera, but the one grows in the North- 

 West Himalaya in dry soils under the shadow of rocks at altitudes of 

 15-17,000 feet, and the other in the extreme East, frequenting open 

 marshy glades or the margins of streams at altitudes of 5,000 to 

 8,000 feet. I should hesitate to attempt the cross-fertilization of these 

 two plants, even though they are undoubtedly nearly allied species 

 botanically. What is desired by hybridization is improvement of 

 the attractive features of a plant, and to that end I believe luxuriant 

 growth is essential. It is therefore necessary to study the natural 

 tendencies of life, quite as much so as to select plants which, when 

 crossed, would produce a good combination of beautiful forms. 



