204 
THE FLOWER GARDEN. 
colour may be obtained from seedlings raised from a mixed 
packet of a good strain of seed. The same remarks, too, 
apply to the show type. Sow the seeds in a mixture of sandy 
loam and leaf-mould in gentle heat, or in a cold frame, in 
spring. The seeds take a long time to germinate. When the 
seedlings have formed their third or fourth leaf carefully 
transplant them an inch or so apart in boxes and keep in the 
frame till the following spring. If the strain is a particularly 
choice one the seedlings may be grown in small pots instead 
of the boxes. Some of the seeds may not germinate for six 
months, and such seedlings invariably prove of superior quality 
to the earlier germinated ones, so every care should be taken 
of them. When ready for planting out prepare the site for 
their reception by digging in plenty of rotten cow manure and 
leaf-mould. Plant out 6in. apart. The more robust seedlings 
may be planted as edgings to borders in ordinary soil. Auri- 
culas do best in partial shade. Every third year lift, divide 
and replant after flowering. 
POLYANTHUS. — This section of primulas has been gradu- 
ally evolved from a hybrid primrose named P. variabilis, the 
result of a cross between the Cowslip and the Primrose. In 
the Polyanthus you get the flowers of the Primrose borne on 
a cowslip-like umbel. Polyanthuses are divided into two or 
three classes. Thus in one, the Gold-laced, the blooms are 
margined or laced with gold, a stripe going from this down 
the centre of each petal to the eye, the rest of the petal being 
of another colour. These are the old-fashioned florists’ poly- 
anthus. Then there is the Giant or Fancy Polyanthus, a 
class of more robust habit, with large flowers, varying in 
colour from white and yellow to crimson, etc. These are 
popular garden flowers. Then we have another class called 
the Primrose Polyanthus, in which the flowers first form like 
those of the Primrose, then produce an umbel like the Fancy 
or Gold-laced classes. These also are variable in colour. In 
these and in Auriculas experts prefer the flowers with a 
“ thrum-eyed ” flower, i.e., one in which the anthers and not 
the stigma can be seen. The latter are called “ pin-eyed ” 
flowers. Besides the classes mentioned there are several 
curious forms of Polyanthuses. The “ Hose-in-Hose ” is one 
in the w'hich the calyx is of the same form and colour as the 
corolla; and “ Jack-in-the-Green ” is another form with crimson 
flowers resting on large, leafy, green bracts. The latter is 
also called Galligaskins or Pantaloons. Erin’s Yellow is a 
yellow-flowered fragrant variety of the “ Hose-in-Hose ” poly- 
anthus, and much used for bedding. Polyanthuses are excel- 
lent plants for spring bedding, and a charming variety of 
