Plate 288. 
PRIMULA, KERMESINA PLENA. AND QUEEN 
OE ENGLAND. 
When some years ago we figured two of the new species of 
double Primulas, we expressed a hope that we were on the 
eve of a revolution in these flowers, and that, useful as were 
the single varieties of fringed Primula, the double ones would 
be much more so. To a certain extent this has been true, 
although, in other points, some disappointment has taken 
place. We are indebted to the same firm from which we re¬ 
ceived our former subjects (Messrs. F. and A. Smith, of Dul¬ 
wich) for those forming the present Plate; and it will be seen, 
on referring to our former one, that there is a considerable 
improvement in the size and shape of the flowers. 
Of the advantages afforded by these new double varieties, 
we may mention their greatly lengthened period of blooming ; 
for we have had plants of Fairy and Candidissima in flower for 
nine or ten months; while the points in which disappointment 
has taken place are, that they do not seed nearly so freely as 
the single varieties, so that Messrs. Windebank and Kings¬ 
bury, of Southampton, who were the originators of these new 
varieties, had great difficulty in supplying the orders that 
poured in upon them; while, we fear, it is a fact that the 
more colour there is in the flowers the greater the difficulty 
of keeping the plants. This may probably be remedied by 
some fresh hybridization; but there is no doubt that these dis¬ 
advantages considerably detract from the great value of the 
plant. 
We saw the very beautiful varieties now figured at Messrs. 
Smith’s nursery during the winter, where also one house was 
