notice of any florist with wliom we are acijiiainted. 
As a specimen of descriptions given two hundred 
years ago we will copy this. 
Parkinson says, "‘Master Hesket’s Double Prim- 
rose is very like viito the small double Primrose, 
both in leafe, root, and heighth of growing, the 
stalke not rising much higher then it, but bearing 
flowers in a farre different manner; for this beareth 
not only single ffowers vpon seuerall stalkes, but 
somtimes two or three single flowers vpon one stalk, 
and also at the same time a bigger stalke, and 
somewhat higher, hauing one greene huske at the 
toppe thereof, sometimes broken on the one side, 
and sometimes whole, in the middle whereof stand- 
eth sometimes diners single flowers, thrust together, 
every flower to be seene in his proper forme, and 
sometimes there appeare with some whole flowers 
others that are but parts of flow ers, as if the flowers 
were broken in pieces, and thrust into one huske, 
the leaues of the flow ers (being of a white or pale 
Primrose colour, but a little deeper) seldome rising 
aboil e the height of the very huske it selfe; and 
sometimes, as I haue obserued in this plant, it will 
haue vpon the same stalke, that beareth such flow- 
ers as I haue here described vnto you, a small 
flower or two, making the stalke seeme branched 
into many flowers, whereby you may perceiue, that 
it w ill vary into many formes, not abiding constant 
in any yeare, as all the other sorts doe.” 
The singular varieties of the Primula acaulis, or 
Common Primrose, have attracted the attention of 
many florists; and a collection of them is alike 
interesting to the physiologist and the cultivator. 
