January 15, 1898. 



THE GARDENERS' MAGAZINE 



33 



The Reading Primulas and Cyclamen. 



The value of first-rate strains of primulas and cyclamen to gardeners who have 

 conservatories to keep gay early in the year, and to supply demands for large 

 quantities of cut flowers during the same period, is so obvious that it needs no dis- 

 cussion. Good strains are a necessity, and when a gardener can visit the nursery 

 of a firm of seedsmen and there see magnificent varieties of these, grown wonder- 

 fully well, true to name, and from which seed will subsequently be supplied, he 

 feels he is making no mistake in growing such sorts himself. Certainly at no one 

 period have the Messrs. Sutton and Sons, Reading, a finer display than in January ; 

 but to fully understand the beauty and usefulness of the Reading primulas more 

 than one visit is necessary, as most of the giant forms are late in flowering, and do 

 not display to the full their charms until March or April, and this is especially the 

 case with the brilliant and effective form known as Giant Crimson ; in its case the 

 early flowers that nestle amid the foliage are of a purplish hue, and not to be com- 

 pared with the dark-eyed glowing flowers produced in fine trusses at a later date. 



Something like eight houses at the Portland Road Nurseries are filled with 

 primulas in about thirty varieties, and these are arranged in batches of contrasting 

 colours, so that the effect is very fine. A view obtained through the whole length 

 of one house of three divisions, and containing about two thousand four hundred 

 plants is one not soon forgotten ; and yet this is but a part of the feast, for not less 

 than six thousand plants will come under the notice of a visitor who makes a point 

 of seeing all he can- The Star primulas are particularly elegant, and the pure 

 white variety, with its two-storied spikes of dainty blossoms, very forcibly reminds 

 one of falling snow. No sense of cold is, however, experienced, for the bright 

 rose-coloured form occupying the opposite stage provides a corrective. There can 

 be no question as to the general utility of the Star primulas ; they are elegant, 

 bright, easily grown as annuals or biennials, continue in flower for a long period, 

 and do not drop their flowers so readily as some [of the more highly-bred sorts. 

 Very many trials have already been made, with^a view to producing this form of 

 primula! in other colours than rose and white, r and some amount of success has 



of the colour, while in form it is a pittern primula. Reading Scarlet commences 

 to expand its trusses of deep scarlet flowers about Christmas time, and is a variety 

 much appreciated for association with Roman hyacinth and similar winter flowers ; 

 it also continues to provide a display over a period of about six months. Brilliant 

 Rose cannot be pa-sed unnoticed, for it never fails to attract attention, its large 

 blooms are exquisitely frilled and of a beautiful deep shade of rose that eventually 

 deepens to carmine ; scarcely any variety appeals in so subtle a manner to one's 

 sense of colour as does this. Royal White, Snowdrift, and Purity are all handsome 

 white-flowered primulas, yet each distinct ; it is no easy task to say which is the 

 better, but the contrast of dark foliage in the former leads us to admire it the 

 most. 



A few remarks must be devoted to the Giant primulas, a distinct race produced 

 and perfected by Messrs. Sutton and Sons, so distinct in fact that if any of its 

 forms are crossed with the other single types, the result is usually sterile progeny. 

 It is extremely difficult to fix and raise a sufficient quantity of any new giant form 

 to put it into commerce. Nature protests against such huge flowers, wonderful 

 frills, and fine trusses, by reducing the fertility of the plant. A handsome Giant 

 Rose form tinged with crimson, has long been in course of selection, but during 

 the past six years it has only been possible to double the number of plants. No 

 giant primula has yet been returned as the result of pollinising a giant with a 

 smaller form. As a race the Giant primulas are three weeks later than others, 

 and for this reason they are worth cultivating ; they also make larger specimens. 

 Giant White is the most popular of all, and in either the plain or fern-leaved 

 form it produces flowers of the purest whiteness, measuring twice as much in 

 diameter as half-a-crown ; the trusses are of immense size, and boldly placed 

 above the foliage. Giant Pink runs the former very close for popularity, and be- 

 cause of its most vigorous growth is a prime favourite with the gardener ; it also 

 is earlier than Giant White, and a batch is already making a good exhibition of 

 carmine pink flowers. Giant Crimson, as already stated, is a late form, and in 

 some gardens lateness is considered a defect ; however, once the variety is grown 

 it is not generally left out of the next* seed order. There is'some hope, however, 



COP¥« 1CMT S.*S. 



Giant Pkimulas at Reading. 



already attended the efforts of Messrs. Sutton and Sons. It is a difficult matter, 

 however, for the influence *of (varieties of the Giant and other strains, having 

 distinct hues, is mostly seen in an enlargement of the starry flowers, and a reduc- 

 tion of quantity ; this, of course, is of no value, for it spoils the effect of the Star 

 primula. However, by cross fertilisation and selection new colours are being 

 produced, though those colours are often absorbed by the seed parent, and do not 

 fully appear for two or more generations. Incidentally it may be mentioned that 

 a two-year-old Star primuia, in a twenty-four-sized pot carried twenty-one spikes 

 of flowers ; many of these spikes were four stories high ; that is, they had four 

 tiers, and such spikes carried from twenty-four to thirty-six blooms each. This 

 will give a very good idea of the usefulness of Star primulas for conservatory 

 decoration. As a market variety there is no doubt a great future for this plant. 



1 urmng to varieties that appeal more to the eye of the florist, one is confronted 

 *uh a remarkable variation of colour in flowers and foliage, while the leafage 

 varies and is either plain, fern-leaved, or moss-curled in form. A batch of Gipsy 

 ueen comes early under notice ; this is one of the most distinct forms and an old 

 uvounte. Even as a foliage plant it would command attention, but when to 

 runosonie and dark-coloured fern-like leafage is added trusses of large, beautifully- 

 ringed and purest white flowers, then the combination causes it to be one of the 

 variel ' dsome , of P"mulas. Reading Blue is a grand companion for any *hile 

 leavoHKi S of colour being so distinct ; it forms a suitable successor to Fern- 



flowerin \ ^if? """^ ta colour and form hut fuI| y a fortnight earlier in 

 excell a p W fcm-like foliage. Another fern- leaved variety of exceptional 

 the oriffin! \" \ V ^ )ue . en ' and one of which there is a stronger stock than usual ; 

 demand ^ ° f ^ vuriel >' was showing signs of sterility, so, as it was still in 

 bejutifni a new . one . "»d 10 he raised; this has been done, and the result is a 

 and s r. n Pn "! U a " Uh H ° ht leafa B e and hnt: truiises ^ rose-pink flowers. The new 

 so wdl if ype ^* however . a little later than the old form. Sutton's Pearl is 

 said of it r • U5 whue flowers so much admired that nothing further need be 

 dazzlin.r oinwTE 8 -! 1 !? varieties of m ore brilliant hue there is nothing to exceed the 



first-rate cond V Ruby ' es P ecial, y when some hundreds of plants are in 



naition, as at Reading ; the name of the variety is admirably descriptive 



of an early giant of rich colour, for a moderate stock has been produced of a 

 variety as early as Giant Pink, and producing glorious blooms that are of an in- 

 tense rose -red colour, flushed with crimson. Double primulas are excellent, and 

 give an abundance of large blooms admirably suited for wreaths, bouquets, <S:c. ; 

 for general use ihey are invaluable pot plants, and being presented m such a 

 variety of colours as scarlet, blue, pink, carnation-flaked, crimson, and last, but 

 not least, a magnificent white, there arc sufficient kinds * gratify all tastes. 



The Reading cyclamen were never finer than now, and that is saying a gcod 

 deal. < >ne scarcely can say just where the improvement occurs, but on entering 

 the houses the impression quickly comes that plants and flowers are an advance 

 on previous years. There is a wonderful wealth of blossoms, and on their sturdy 

 stems they are not unlike batches of butterflies hovering above the marbled foliage. 

 A slight but pleasing fragrance fills the air, but this emanatesfrom a small batch of 

 Cyclamen Iatifolium (C. persicum) raised originally from seeds sent from Palest ne ; 

 fifty or sixty years hence Messrs. Sutton and Sons may have a giant form to show 

 the horticultural world as the result of careful selection from this specific form. 

 From the ten varieties of cyclamen listed by the Reading firm it is neces.-ary for 

 many to make a smaller selection, and as an assistance to that end we may say 

 that the five appealing most to us are Giant W hite, \\ hite Butterfly, \ ulcan, 

 Salmon Queen/and Giant Purple. Giant White has monster, but not monstrous, 

 blooms of infinite purity, and produced with wonderful profusion. White butter- 

 fly has elecant white blooms, less formal than in Giant White but equally useful 

 and produced in immense quantities. Vulcan is the finest of crimson cyclai 

 and is of a very deep and dark sha le of colour. Salmon O ueen is one of the 

 Reading firm's greatest successes, especially so far as the production of new colours 

 Hoes; the plants are dwarf and compact, foliage very finely marbled, and flowers 

 o( eood size and of a handsome and rich shade of salmon-pink. Giant I urple is 

 very distinct, and its bright purple blooms, though large, are carried erect on extra 

 lone and stout stems. A variety known as Giant Crimson and White has white 

 segments with crimson base ; the colour contrast is so fine that not a few would 

 place it in a selection of five varieties, to the exclusion of one of the whites ; it 

 certainly is very beautiful. Giant Pink, Giant Rose, Giant Crimson, and Cherry 



clamen 



