218 THE FLORIST AND 
PRIMULA INVOLUCRATA, Wall. 
Primulaceae. 
Char. Gener. — Calyx sub campanulatus v. tubulosus plus minus pro- 
funde 5-dentatus vel etiam 5-fidus. Corolla hypocrateriraorpha vel infun- 
dibuliformis, limbo 5-fido, lobis plerumque emarginatis, fauce ad limbum 
dilatata, tubo tereti calycem aequante. aut superante. Stamina inclusa. 
Filamenta brevissima. Antherae saepe acuminatae. Ovarium globosum 
aut ovato-globosum. Ovula plurima peltatim ampbitropha. Capsula ovata 
5-valvis, valvulis integris aut bifidis apice tantum dehis-centibus, seminibus 
minimis numerosis. 
Herbae foliis plerumque radicalibus, scapo simpUci, floribus umbellatis, 
involucratis rarius verticillatis^ saepissime speciosis. 
Char. Specif. — P. efarinosa, foliis tenuibus laevibus ovatis remote den- 
ticulatis glaberrimis obtusis longe petiolatis, scapo erecto foliis multo 
longiore, iijvolucri pauci (3?), flori mox pedicellis brevioris, mox illos super- 
antis foliolis subaequalibus lanceolatis obtusis glabris basi longe appendicu- 
latis, calycis tubulosi elongati tubum aequantis 5-costati, glabri, 5-dentati, 
lacinii brevibus pubescenti-ciliatis, obtusiusculis corollae infundibuliformis, 
lobis obcordatis emarginatis. Wall. 
The plant wliich we figure is a hardy alpine perennial discovered some 
years ago by Dr. Wallich. It is a native of India, where it was found 
growing 11,500 feet above the level of the sea. The first plants of it known 
in England were raised from seed in the Horticultural Society's Garden, in 
London. " It attains a height of six inches, flowers from March to May, 
and sometimes a second time during the growing season." The flowers are 
sweet scented. It requires a treatment similar to that given to the 
Auricula. 
PRUNING. 
I have lately noticed some of my neighbors, with jacknife, handsaw and 
hatchet in hand, attacking their fruit trees as though they were enemies 
whom it was their purpose to wound and mutilate and disable by all means 
in their power. After the battle has been fought I have seen the ground 
covered with branches, and in some cases with heads and trunks lying scat- 
tered in all directions around the scathed and bleeding trees, that remain 
like wounded and maimed soldiers, after a hard fought conflict. And the 
trophies of the victory thus obtained are carried off by the whole cart loads 
