Plate 2. 
DOUBLE FRINGED CHINESE PRIMROSE. 
Primula prcenitens , var. atro-rosea plena. 
The Chinese Primrose is so thoroughly popular as to have 
obtained the title of “ everybody’s flower,” which it well merits, 
its different forms being amongst the gayest of winter and early 
spring ornaments for the greenhouse or the window-garden. 
This designation, however, applies to the single-flowered plants, 
which can be readily and abundantly increased from seeds, 
rather than to the double forms, such as our figure represents. 
The original form of the species, introduced to this country 
about forty years since, has the segments of its flower-limb 
smooth-edged with one terminal notch; and this is also the 
case with its white-flowered variety. The variety fimbriata , 
which made its appearance about a dozen years later, has larger 
flowers, frilled or notched around the margin; and at the pre¬ 
sent day these fringed sorts are those most esteemed. We 
may here notice incidentally, that in the case of the Chinese 
Primrose, the all but universal law adopted by florists is reversed. 
In most cases the varieties of popular flowers are prized in pro¬ 
portion as they possess smoothness and evenness of outline, 
and varieties having the edges of their flowers jagged as they 
are in the fringed Primroses, would be unceremoniously con¬ 
demned; but in the case of the plant before us, the fringed 
forms are undoubtedly the favourites. 
Of the original smooth-edged form, double-flowered varieties, 
both white and rose-coloured, have been for a score of years in 
cultivation, and have been held in great esteem as free and 
continuous blooming plants for conservatory ornamentation. 
Plate 2.—PiiiHULA pr^nitens (sinensis), var. Atho-rosea plena : 
flowers large, double, deep rose-coloured, the margins of the segments fim¬ 
briated. 
