September 24, 1885. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
269 
on which Primula reformers will have to work. Only the most dis¬ 
tinct varieties will be included under their respective heads. 
My purpose will be to follow Mr. Stein’s plan, inasmuch as I shall 
give both natural and artificial hybrids a separate place, reserving 
space at the end for a classified key to the whole. Stein, Gusmus, 
Obrist, Kerner, and others have given considerable attention to the 
cultivation and determination of natural hybrids by testing artificially 
and proving exclusively the types or varieties employed by Nature in 
the production of any new hybrid, and to them we are also indebted 
for the introduction of many of the fine kinds at present beautify¬ 
ing our rockeries and gardens. The “ Genera Plantarura ” gives 
between seventy and eighty distinct species, but many new ones have 
lately been added to this, and a hundred will now be near the total. 
Of course this number necessitates many of the plants we consider as 
species being reduced to varieties; and although it be true that 
between some of our supposed species links in the shape of varieties 
may be traced to fill up the whole chain in a botanical sense, many 
of the intermediate forms are distinct garden plants, and in the 
latter sense may be said to be as far apart from the two extremes 
as they are from each other, and quite worthy of distinct names. 
The majority of the Primulas grow freely in the open rockery. A 
few, however, will hardly give entire satisfaction unless grown in 
pots, a system entailing too much trouble to a great number of hardy- 
plant enthusiasts ; but the same difficulty is experienced on the Conti¬ 
nent, the home of the European Primroses, and in addition to those 
planted on the rockery a collection is kept in pots simply stood on beds 
of sand and protected only from heavy rains in winter. The latter 
give more satisfaction than those planted out, and this applies not 
only to Primulas but to all true alpine plants ; and although I do not 
advocate growing our collections in pots, it is well to bear in mind 
that it can be tried for all plants that are difficult to flower or even to 
grow on the rockery in the open air. 
In cultivating Primulas, whether in pots or on the rockery, a 
supply of small stones is essential. I use limestone and hard granite, 
and a good general rule we adopt, with fair success, is to wedge all 
the hard-leaved ones, such as speetabilis, calycina, &c., in the granite, 
and the soft-leaved species, such as viscosa, ciliata, &c., in the lime¬ 
stone. In potting or planting the pieces of stone should come as far 
up the “ collar ” as possible, adding others as the plants grow, and when 
roots will be found to have formed above the stones. They must have 
free drainage, and the pots must be plunged to insure a cool bottom for 
the roots. Plenty of water is required during the growing and 
flowering seasons. When planted out a position should be chosen on 
slopes, or in such a way that no damp will lodge near the neck. Most 
of them are easily increased, the types by seed and the others by 
division or by taking off the little side shoots that will have been pro¬ 
duced during the growing season. 
P. marginata strikes readily from cuttings, as also does P. auriculata 
and others, simply preparing the side shoots, and putting them in pots 
as practised in the case of other hardwooded plants. 
To avoid confusion in the authors of names, as they will be 
abbreviated, it seems necessary to give a list of them in full, with 
their abbreviations, particularising only those writers who have been 
specially engaged in the determination of hybrids, &c. 
Loisl. 
J. L. A. Loiseleur 
Schleich. 
J. C. Schleicher 
Lehm. 
J. G. C. Lehmann 
Torr. 
J. Torrey 
Jaub. ifc Spach. 
Jaubert & Spach. 
L. 
Linnaeus 
Lam. 
J. Lamarck 
Kern. 
A. J. Kerner 
Dene. 
J. Decaisne 
DC. 
De Candolle 
Rch. 
H. L. Reichenbach 
Jacq. 
N. J. Jacquin 
Jacqm. 
V. Jacquemont 
Tsc'n. 
I. F. Tausch 
Sm. 
Smith 
Wall. 
N. Wallich 
Willd. 
C. L. Willdenow 
All. 
C. Allioni 
Porten. 
. F. Portenschlag 
Led. 
. C. F. Ledebour 
Curt. 
. Curtis of Bot. Mag 
Ldl. 
. J. Lindley 
Mchx. 
. A. Michaux 
A. Gr. 
. Asa Gray 
Petag. 
. V. Petagna 
Thom. 
. E. Thomas 
Tratt. 
. L. Yon. Trattinick 
Forsk. 
.. P. Forskahl 
Vill. 
. D. Villars 
Huds. 
. W. Hudson 
Pall. 
. P. S. Pallas 
Petrn. 
.. W. L. Petermann 
Gaud. 
.. J. F. Gaudin 
Jungh. 
.. P. C. Junghaus 
Hook. 
. Sir W. Hooker 
Hk. f. 
.. Sir J. D. Hooker 
Others that will be used in the course of the series will be written 
in full. Those interested in the work of determining hybrid Primulas, 
and who give special attention to if, are Dr. A. J. Kerner, Pro¬ 
fessor of Botany in the University of Vienna; he has long been 
interested in alpine plants, and particularly Primula . He recently 
published a paper in German (which has been translated by Mr. 
Bennett) on the origin of the garden Auricula ; he is still engaged in 
the work, and is considered a reliable authority. M. B. Stein, who 
cultivates crosses and determines the plants, is Inspector of the 
Botanic Gardens, Breslau, an enthusiast in hardy plants, as indeed 
are most of the inspectors of continental public gardens ; he also has 
published in German a good list of the Primulas in cultivation in 
Europe with their synonyms, which should be in the hands of all 
intending exhibitors. M. Bupert Huter of Sterzing is a botanical 
collector, chiefly in the Tyrol ; he, however, works most with dried 
collections, supplying herbariums, with rare specimens. 
Obrist and Gusmus are both extensive collectors, the former being 
also an enthusiastic cultivator ; the latter collects living plants, 
sTJfplying the trade, &c. 
P. alpika, Schleich. — A hybrid between P. superauricula and 
P. viscosa, Stein (Syns., P. rhastica, Koch, and intermedia of gardens). 
It is a very handsome plant, found at elevations of from 6500 up to 
nearly a thousand feet in the Grisons. It is a quick grower, and 
does well with us on a rocky slope or wedged between hard stones in 
pots. It rarely exceeds 3 or 4 inches in height; the flowers 
nearly, or often more, than an inch in diameter, are of a very 
brilliant violet purple, and extremely handsome. It partakes more of 
the character of P. Auricula than it does of viscosa, and which pre¬ 
dominance the whole plant shows clearly at a glance. The leaves 
are much smaller and narrower than those of the P. Auricula, smooth, 
slightly glazed, and with an entire absence of meal dust so con¬ 
spicuous in that species ; they are covered on both sides as well as 
the margins with a short minute pubescence, are obovate in shape, but 
again broadening towards the base, and where they clasp the stem 
the upper half is irregularly and sparingly notched. It flowers a 
little later than P. Auricula. 
P. Allionii, Loisl. — This is a gem among Primulas, and next to 
the common P. minima one of the prettiest of the dwarf section. It 
prefers soft porous limestone to all other kinds, and in preparing 
soil, a third of sphagnum should be finely chopped and mixed with 
it, together with broken mussel shells. A south-east exposure seems 
to suit it best; and as it is inclined to grow saucer-shaped, it should 
have a semi-perpendicular position, as a double safeguard against 
moisture remaining stagnant among the leaves or near the collar. 
It is a slow grower, and so compact do the crowns keep together, 
that the individual plants look like so many dark green balls stuck in 
Fig. 4S.—Primula AUionii, Loisl. [From Keichenbach's “ Flora Germanica/] 
the rock. It is, perhaps, the rarest of the old species, which is rather 
surprising, from the fact of its being so easy to cultivate. The flower 
scapes carry generally one, but sometimes two and three large rosy 
purple flowers, as in P. minima, covering the entire plant. They are 
about an inch in diameter, with slightly indented petals ; the calyx 
is nearly globose in outline; the sepals are ovate and blunt, quite 
covered with a fine glandular or clammy pubescence, as well as the 
leaves. The leaves are obovate, gradually tapering to a short petiole, 
and slightly crenated. Native of Piedmont. Flowers April and May. 
Syn., glutinosa, All. The plant is shown of its natural size in fig. 43. 
P. altaxca, Lelim. —An acaulescent plant nearly allied to the 
common Primrose of our meadows, indeed almost too near to be 
separated as a species, but as the characters are constant it may save 
confusion if kept distinct. It was introduced to our gardens by Mr. 
Darbishire of Rivington, who is said to have found it growing on 
grassy land in the neighbourhood of the Black Sea. Its only fault 
seems to be its tendency to flower too early and before our severe 
weather is past, the flowers being completely destroyed in exposed 
situations. When planted out as an edging in the conservatory it is 
very beautiful, cheering the dull days of winter with its rich purple 
flowers and distinct bright yellow eyes. They are borne singly on 
stalks direct from the crown, and from the centre of the leaves, as in 
our native one. The leaves seem to be more robust, and of a slightly 
different veining. Syn., P. undulata, Fischer, P. nivalis, Turtsch, 
P. longiscapa, Led, and figured in “ Paxt. Mag.,’' 16, 194. 
P. arctotis, A. Kerner. —A hybrid between P. subauricula and P. 
hirsuta. The leaves are broadly ovate, deeply serrated to where they 
taper at the base, densely covered with tiny glandular hairs on both 
sides, forming rosettes as in auricula, but with the shrubby-like habit 
of P. marginata. It grows well wedged between pieces of granite on 
an east exposure ; and is to all appearance a shy flowerer. I have 
never seen it in flower. 
