356 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ October 22, 1885. 
known in their separate lines of business, yet many appear surprised that 
showing is on the wane in the neighbourhood.—J. L. B. 
THE PRIMULAS. 
( Continued from page 313.) 
P. Clusiana, Tsch .—Though as yet rare in gardens this is the 
most beautiful of all the Tyrolean Primroses, and perhaps the 
easiest managed in cultivation. Through the early spring months 
it is unsurpassed by any hardy flower, its firm-textured flowers 
resisting almost all kinds of weather. The flowers are larger if 
anything than our Alpine Auriculas and produced with equal pro¬ 
fusion. It thrives best on a west exposure in a rich soil to which 
plenty of limestone has been added. It must not lack water during 
the growing season, and if planted on a slope it is rarely if ever 
damaged by moisture during winter. The position should be 
exposed, and be such as to allow the plant to get the midday and 
afternoon sun. A plant nearly related to the above has been lately 
introduced from the Continent under the name of P. Churchilli or 
admontensis. It seems to be a hybrid like P. super-Clusiana. The 
leaves are smaller, narrower, and partake a little of the glossy 
Fig. 55.—Primula Clusiana (Reiclienbach’s w leones Plantaraxn 
P. spectabilis. It is, however, inferior as a garden plant to the 
type, and only desirable for variety. 
P. Clusiana grows from 6 to 9 inches in height, the scape bear¬ 
ing a head of flowers numbering from five to ten, each about an 
inch in diameter, of a very bright rose colour. Leaves broadly 
ovate, slightly pubescent, prominent on the margins, which are 
slightly indented from where the leaf begins to taper to the petiole, 
feepals ovate, very blunt, sparingly hairy. It flowers from the end 
of March until May. It ripens seed freely, and is also readily 
increased by division. 
P. cortusoides, L. — The Cortusa-leaved Primrose is said to 
have been first introduced to this country about the year 1796 by 
Messrs. Lee & Kennedy, nurserymen at Hammersmith. It was 
much admired at that time, when something under a dozen Primulas 
were all in general cultivation. It has up to the present time held 
its own ground in the popular estimation, and in some of its forms, 
including the amoena varieties, bids fair to be the Primrose of the 
future. The remark of Linnaeus that it has the foliage of a Cortusa 
with the flowers of the Aretia vitalliana holds good now, the typical 
form grown in gardens having altered little in all these years. 
Although perfectly hardy with us it should never be planted in 
exposed places, as, owing to its tall habit of growth and fine-textured 
flowers, it invariably suffers from cold winds if not from late frosts, 
&c. A sunny sheltered nook in the rockery suits it well close to 
low shrubs or stones, but with a full exposure to the south or west. 
It grows best in rich light soil kept free and open with small 
pebbles, &c. Good drainage is of great importance to the success¬ 
ful growth of this plant, and especially during the resting season. 
It is from 6 inches to a foot in height, bearing a loose capitate 
head of handsome rose-coloured flowers of various shades, deeply 
cut, and about an inch in diameter. The leaves, which die during 
winter, leaving the crown exposed in the form of a ball, are ovate 
in outline, bluntly and irregularly toothed, having a cordate base, 
the edges being involute when in a young state. It has given rise 
to numerous varieties, the amcena section being treated under 
P. Sieboldi. It flowers May and June, and is a native of Siberia, 
increased by division or seed, the latter being best, as they make 
the freest flowering plants. 
P. cridalensis, Hort. —This is supposed to be a hybrid between 
P. tyrolensis X Wulfeniana, and from the appearance of the plant, 
both habit and leaves, there is every reason to believe this is correct. 
It was introduced by Mr. Backhouse of York. It is growing well 
on an east exposure, but seems to suffer from drought more than 
either of its parents. Leaves ovate, again broadening to the base 
of the petiole, slightly ciliated, and rough on the upper surface. 
We have never seen this plant in flower. 
P. daonensis, Leby. —A name given in 1854 denoting one of its 
localities, and preferable to P. oenensis, Thom., which, though given 
two years earlier (1852), is altogether unmeaning compared with 
the other. It is now being generally adopted, and will no doubt 
in time take the place of the other. P. daonensis is a very pretty 
little plant, never attaining more than an inch or so in height ; but 
as it seems to be variable it may be more robust in some of its 
forms. It was one of the plants brought home by Mr. Maw from 
the Lombardy Alps in 1875, at that time considered a rarity and 
much sought after. It forms little glutinous rosettes as close to 
the ground as P. minima. The leaves are wedge-shaped or cuneate, 
and may be compared to a lawn tennis bat, the margins of the upper 
half bluntly serrated and thickly studded with glandular hairs. 
The large pale rose-coloured flowers are very handsome, their beauty 
being increased by the lovely silvery white eye. It thrives best on 
limestone, the plants requiring to be firmly wedged between them. 
It likes plenty of sun, a south-eastern exposure being the most 
suitable. It flowers in May and June. Native of the Tyrol, 
Eastern Swiss Alps, &c., from 6500 to about 1000 feet above the 
sea level. Syn., P. cadinensis, Hort., a garden form with longer 
and narrower leaves ; P. oeonensis, Thom. ; P. Stelviana, Vulp. ; 
P. hirsuta, Rch. 
P. denticiulata, Smith. —For the introduction of the purple 
Nepal Cowslip we are indebted to the enterprising firm of Messrs. 
Yeitch of Chelsea. This is also one of the plants that have not got 
quite used to our climate, either throwing up its handsome heads 
of flowers too late in the season or too early before the severe frosts 
and cutting east winds have ceased. In a few places where it can 
be well sheltered without the exclusion of light it flowers freely 
and shows an extremely vigorous habit. At Wisley, the experi¬ 
mental garden of G. F. Wilson, Esq., I saw large patches of them 
growing in the wood. They had plenty of the needful light, and 
were well sheltered on all sides by the thick brushwood, and over¬ 
head with the forest trees. I had also the pleasure of seeing the 
flowers produced in the spring well-formed heads almost as large 
as a cricket ball and of a superb colour. Of course there is not 
such a wood in every garden, but all who wish to grow a really 
valuable plant will not be long in finding a position suitable to its 
requirements. Whatever situation be chosen it must be one well 
sheltered from the east winds, for even in the south of England in 
the open border the flowers never open, the flower heads are dis¬ 
torted, and the plant rendered useless. It does not seem to be a 
very good perennial even where it succeeds, and after a year or two 
seems to lose energy and deteriorate. My plan is to lift the plants 
every second year, divide them as small as possible and replant ; 
the result is renewed vigour, and a greater number of larger flowers. 
I have also seen this used effectively in large conservatories, planted 
as an edging with P. japonica, and attaining remarkable dimensions, 
with both flowers and foliage. 
It usually grow’s about a foot high, throwing up numerous stout 
flower stalks, which are terminated with large heads of purple 
flowers in various shades. The flowers are closely packed together, 
averaging half an inch in diameter. Leaves oblong, spatulate, about 
6 inches long, wavy, wrinkled; veins reticulated, and sharply toothed 
margins ; the petioles are generally of a reddish colour, peculiar to 
Indian species. It has given rise to numerous varieties, among the 
most distinct being B. cashmeriana, which grows larger than the 
type, and with dark lilac flowers, very distinct and beautiful. 
Henryi, perhaps a robust form of the variety pulcherrima, which 
may easily be distinguished by the presence of meal dust ; it is a 
