Plate 289. 



NEW DOUBLE PRIMULA. SINENSIS. 



The old Doable White and Double Purple Chinese Primroses are well known to gardens. 

 Introduced a half century or so ago, they attracted much attention for their free-flowering 

 properties. The former is now largely cultivated as a winter blooming plant, and when 

 properly managed yields a large supply of flowers, as it is remarkably free. The purple 

 variety has become very scarce, it appears to possess a certain weakness of constitution which 

 makes it difficult to cultivate with success. 



During the past twenty years many double forms of Primula Sinensis have been 

 produced, not from the old types, but obtained from the single flowers by judicious selection. 

 Thus there have been obtained a more vigorous habit of growth ; larger and more fully 

 double flowers ; and a great gain as subjects to cut from : the latest manifestation of the 

 march of improvement is seen in the fine new varieties now figured, raised by Mr. Richard 

 Gilbert, The Gardens, Burghley Park, Stamford, and recently exhibited at one of the 

 meetings of the Royal Horticultural Society, and awarded First-class Certificates of merit. 

 White Lad// (fig. 1) has very large and full pure white flowers ; Princess (fig. 2) has flowers 

 of a delicate blush ground with slight spots of rosy purple ; Mrs. Barron (fig. 3) is a 

 charming variety, the blush flowers being slightly spotted and striped carmine, and flushed 

 with soft lilac. Mr. Gilbert is to be congratulated on having raised such fine acquisitions. 



Plate 290. 



AUTUMN AND WINTER CROCUS. 



It has been remarked that late autumn flowers do not receive the attention given to 

 those blooming in early spring, owing to the fact that during the summer and early autumn 

 a kind of floral surfeit is experienced, and the pause of winter is necessary to sharpen the 

 appetite for floral subjects. On the other hand, there are many who are able to appreciate 

 beauty in flowers at all seasons, and for such these beautiful crocus have peculiar attractions. 

 They form a connecting link between the bulbous plants of summer and of spring; a collection 

 of species will give blooms from September till April. The first to flower is Nudifiorus (fig. 

 3), with its large violet purple blossoms ; followed by Speciosus (fig. 1 and 2), which has 

 been termed the ''• only really blue Crocus," a great beauty, and lasts in flower a considerable 

 time, as a good succession of blossoms is produced. Rativus Splendens (fig. 4) is a fine 

 form of the old Saffron Crocus, which is well known in gardens. When grown in pots in a 

 cold frame, or in a prepared bulb garden, or in the open border with attention, these autumn 

 and winter Crocus are of a very interesting character. Some of the species are very scarce, 

 but the foregoing are not difficult to procure. We are indebted to Messrs. Barr and Sugden, 

 King Street, Covent Garden, W.C., for the flowers from which our representations are taken. 



