PRIMULA SINENSIS. 
97 
PRIMULA SINENSIS. 
WITH AN ILLUSTRATION. 
Every one is acquainted with the valuable character of the 
Chinese Primrose, as an ornament to the greenhouse in au¬ 
tumn, winter, and spring, and to the flower garden in summer. 
Its easy management, and long continued habit of blooming, 
have made it a universal favorite, and stamped it with an import¬ 
ance that has at length aroused the attention of the florist, di¬ 
recting his untiring care towards its improvement. 
The varieties of which our plate is an illustration may be re¬ 
garded as an example of the result of this skill, at an early period 
of its appliance. A great deal is there done to increase the in¬ 
terest of the species, by the addition of size and a tone of colour¬ 
ing more powerful and distinct from existing strains, but much 
remains to be effected ere the flowers can become all we think them 
capable of attaining. The point of most consequence, and perhaps 
the most difficult to insure in the progressive change of the 
flowers, is the increase of substance, to have the coloured portions 
thick and substantial, so that they may extend themselves in a 
firm even manner, must be desirable, as it would impart a greater 
degree of richness to their general appearance, and enable them 
individually to endure in beauty for a longer period. Bright and 
decided shades of colour will, of course, be valued under any cir¬ 
cumstances, but in an eminent degree when combined with the bold 
outlines and fleshy texture adverted to. The size of the blossoms 
we consider to be quite an ad libitum matter; the larger ones 
are, of course, more showy, and will therefore secure for them¬ 
selves a place more or less exalted in proportion as they are 
perfect in other respects. The manner in which these improve¬ 
ments are to be attained is, as in the case of all other floral va¬ 
riations, by the production of seminal offsprings combined with 
high culture. And here the very general complaint of the 
paucity of seed from the best varieties operates. It is by no 
means an unfrequent occurrence for hundreds of plants to 
bloom all through the year without producing a grain of perfect 
seed, and it is next to impossible to buy that of really good 
i. 9 
