602 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
May 22, 1886. 
growing during the winter in a temperature from 50° 
to 60°, and make good plants the following season ; 
the spring struck plants following on in succession. 
"When at rest in the dormant season, large plants 
may be stored away out of the reach of frost and 
damp, looking over them occasionally to see that the 
plants do not suffer injury by becoming too dry at the 
root. 
I may observe, in conclusion, that a prolonged growth 
and flowering may be obtained by the application of 
food stimulants. The old plan used to be to collect the 
excrement of sheep, also that of cows, and apply it in 
a liquid form once or twice a week, and in many 
instances the surface (especially when plants are or have 
been grown in large pots), has been covered with the 
solid material, so that in the application of water the 
soluble portion may be carried to the roots, the surface 
of the pot covered with moss thus preventing excessive 
evaporation and an unsightly appearance, but a know¬ 
ledge of chemistry has of late years enabled us to use 
nearly all our manures in a more concentrated form, and 
more conveniently to be at all times obtained, and 
simple and easy in the application. These concentrated 
manures being articles of great commercial interest, can 
readily be obtained of all nurserymen and florists, many 
of whom use them very extensively and whose advice 
as to the kind suitable for various plants can be relied 
on and followed with success. After the plants have 
had their last shift and the roots have exhausted the 
soil of its convertible constituents, then is the time for 
the application of new life-producing and re-invigorating 
agents, either m the form of liquid manure, or by 
means of top-dressings. 
I have for many years past planted annually, beds of 
the newest varieties, which are very effective under 
judicious and liberal treatment, flowering freely until 
the frost sets in. A bed planted with light and dark- 
coloured flowers, and with both double and single 
varieties form a very pleasing and interesting group, 
especially in some partially shaded nook on the lawn, 
with an edging of some of the golden-leaved varieties ; 
the old Mierophylla makes an exceedingly neat, com¬ 
pact, hedge-like edging. The beds require to be 
copiously supplied with water during the summer 
months, and to be covered with leaf-mould or cocoa-nut 
fibre to keep the roots’ cool and prevent excessive 
evaporation. 
Some years ago I sowed some seed that was 
gathered from Lady Heytesbury—a well-known light 
variety—and planted in a bed as described, they proved 
that the flowers had been most assuredly fertilized by 
the busy bee or some other insect, for from the seed so 
obtained, I had quite a collection of beautiful varieties 
both double and single, also light and dark-coloured 
blooms, a proof that nature has agents that carry on the 
work of hybridization in the absence of the professional 
hybridist and, in this instance, with equally happy 
results. 
The properties of the Fuchsia have been ere this 
discussed, but I do not see that any positive rule can 
be made to apply as in the case of those subjects that 
may be with more propriety designated Florist Flowers. 
The Fuchsia really possesses many distinctive and 
pleasing characteristics in a great variety of forms, w T e 
have Fuchsias with long tubes and sepals, we have 
double and single corollas wdth sepals quite recurved, 
and others graduating to almost an incurved sepal, as 
often is the case, as for example in Lucy Finnis. The 
one great aim of the raisers of new varieties should be to 
improve each section; I should like to see such varieties 
as Aurora superba and Mrs. Bundle more fully 
developed ; large double corollas and well-reflexed 
sepals would form objects at once grand and imposing 
in the extreme sense of those appellations. Fuchsias 
with white tubes and sepals, and -with double purple- 
violet or mauve corollas woifld be hailed with intense 
delight by all lovers of these popular flowers. 
An old friend of mine said forty years ago that “he 
should not be at all surprised to see Fuchsias in a few 
years three times the size we now have them. ” Should 
he be still living after the lapse of so many years, it 
must be a great satisfaction to know that what he then 
anticipated is now a positive fact, consequently, although 
I may not live to see the Fuchsia brought to the per¬ 
fection that I anticipate it will be, I think there is every 
encourgement so far, for the hybridist to persevere in 
his delightful study, with a fair prospect of still greater 
achievements and ultimate rewards for all his pains- 
aking.— Q-. Fry, Lewisham. 
THE BEST HARDY PRIMULAS. 
(ConclvAed from p. 58-3 .) 
P. officinalis. —This is a plant with which everyone 
is familiar, it being the Cowslip of our meadows 
and pastures. Of its merits or otherwise I am not 
going to make any comment, my object being to give 
a passing glance at the race or races which have been 
intermingled with it. One of the principal of these is the 
Polyanthus, than which we have no more lovely race of 
spring flowers. The Oxlip (P. elatior) has probably 
given rise to the vast majority of these, and formerly 
there appears to have been some confusion among 
botanists regarding them, since many considered that 
the Primrose, Cowslip and Oxlip were all varieties of 
one species, viz., P. veris, and in this Linnfeus also 
concurred. Mr. Darwin, however, from experiments 
proved them to be distinct species. These technical 
points are, however, of little moment when we are 
wanting beauty in the spring garden, and I here 
.venture to remark that no class of plants is capable of 
giving such a marvellous array of varied beauty in the 
early months of the year as the Polyanthus. Mothing 
is of more easy culture or of more simple requirements. 
Raised from seed they may be had in endless quantity, 
and by exercising oneself a little when in flower, they 
may be grouped in colours for spring bedding with most 
pleasing results. Such then are the fancy kinds, and 
turning from these the florist finds equal scope for en¬ 
thusiasm in the refined embroidered kinds known as 
the gold-laced section. These, though by the old 
florists they were highly esteemed, do not find the same 
favour among florists of the present day, due probably 
in some degree to the facility with which the fancy 
kinds are produced from seeds, and their general 
attractiveness when in flower. 
P. purpurea. —This appears to be a near ally of P. 
denticulata, which it strongly resembles, though differ¬ 
ing in its entire leaves. Some of the flower-heads of 
P. denticulata, which now assume a considerable variety 
of colours, very closely resemble this species. Both are 
of Himalayan origin, and require similar treatment. 
P. rosea. —Another Himalayan beauty, and one which 
has gained a front place in this vast genus; it is, in 
fact, one of the most brilliant hardy plants ever in¬ 
troduced, and one which will ever be a favourite among 
those who love plants for their intrinsic worth. Ho 
words of praise would be too much for this lovely 
vernal gem, a veritable prize either in the spring garden 
or the herbaceous border. It is reputedly a bog loving 
plant; indeed, those found in the Kulu district east of 
Afghanistan, were growing by the water’s edge, with their 
long white roots far in the water ; though it delights in 
abundant moisture throughout the year, it is not 
absolutely essential to success. In the year 1879 I had 
some remarkably fine tufts of it planted in rather deep 
light sandy loam, about 12 ft. from a high brick wall, 
beside it was its companion in commerce, P. cash- 
meriana, both did remarkably well, and in February, 
1880, commenced pushing up very strong—P. rosea 
being fully 10 in. high. The ground was liberally 
dressed with cow-manure, and both soil and position 
alike seemed to suit. Where they are planted in 
exposed positions, plenty of water is requisite, and to 
save watering, it may be planted in a similar place to 
that I have described for P. japonica ; it seeds freely 
and may readily be increased in this way, and, also by 
division of the crowns, each of which may be detached 
■with roots; the colour is a clear bright rose, and 
brilliant carmine-rose in the bud state ; it is deciduous 
in winter. 
Primula Sieboldii. —For years this plant was dis¬ 
tributed under the name of P. cortusoides amcena, a 
name by which it is still known. From its general 
decorative value it has become quite a favourite, and, in 
consequence, is rather plentifully grown. It is distinct 
from the other members of this genus in its rliizomatous 
root-stock ; it is of free growth, hardy in all soils, grows 
1 ft. or 15 ins. high, with Cortusa-like leaves, and pro¬ 
duces large magenta-crimson flowers, which come 
naturally out of doors in early May. In the green¬ 
house, without undue forcing, it may be had a month 
or six weeks earlier. The numerous varieties which it 
has produced are, in some instances, improvements upon 
the type ; in others the colour is too washy and not 
pleasing. As a whole, the group is a most valuable 
one, and some of its members at least ought to find a 
home in every garden. Apart from the type, we have 
in grandiflora a very fine variety with grand trusses, 
flowers deep rose externally and French white within ; 
in grandiflora alba we have the very finest pure white 
and a fragrant flower. Other good kinds are lilacina 
and lilacina marginata ; laciniata, rich deep red, very 
effective, and intermedia Improved. These are among 
the most worthy and distinct, and they are all readily 
increased by division after flowering. 
Primula scotica. —This is a true Britisher, and a 
quaint and interesting little plant—in fact, P. farinosa 
in miniature, seeding equally free, and requiring exactly 
the same treatment. It delights in abundant moisture, 
being found in damp pastures in the Orkney Isles, 
Sutherland, and Caithness ; flowers rich purple with 
large yellow eye, on stems 2 ins. in height. 
P. Sikkimensis.— Of the many fine introductions 
from the Himalayas, there is, perhaps, none to equal, 
much less surpass, this exquisite gem when well-grown. 
1 say when well grown, as it is rarely met with in good 
examples, though there is really no very great difficulty' 
in the way. Too often is it represented in puny 
examples, 8 ins. or 9 ins. high, with a small umbel of 
its flowers ; but what is this compared with it in its 
Indian home, where it is the pride of all the mountain 
Primroses. It loves a deep spongy bog, or a position near 
the margin of a stream, where its fleshy roots may 
descend to the very water itself. In such a place it 
thrives in a remarkable degree, attaining a height of 
2 ft. and upwards. Some years ago I saw it in fine 
condition in the York Xurseries, similiarly placed to 
what I have here described, and fully 2 ft. high. In 
its mountain home it grows at elevations varying from 
12,000 to 17,000 ft., covering acres of ground with its 
lovely pale yellow flowers. When in good condition, 
the flower-stalk is strong and vigorous, slightly mealy, 
and its numerous pendulous flowers emit an agreeable 
perfume ; each umbel carries from ten to twenty, some¬ 
times more, of its deliciously fragrant flowers, which are 
very distinct from all the rest, flowering by acres in its 
mountain home, makes it more remarkable that we 
only see it here in the lowlands, in ones or twos. 
Hothing would repay the trouble better than making 
a deep peaty bog-bed for this handsome plant, and 
procuring fresh seeds, and plant it thickly when of 
sufficient size, it would charm all who beheld it in 
flower; for, after all, how few of us, alas ! know any¬ 
thing of the actual beauty of many of these lovely 
plants in their native haunts, and to establish a colony 
at home would be an attempt (a modest one ’tis true) 
to imitate its homely grandeur. Happily, ir seeds 
freely, the seedlings flowering the second year. It is 
a true perennial, but the second year plants produce 
much the best results ; so that, if treated more after a 
biennial, fine umbels of its delicious flowers may be had 
annually. 
P. sinensis. —Hitherto I have confined my remarks 
to the hardy species of Primula, with some varieties. 
The part, however, which this species plays in the 
decorations of our conservatories, greenhouses, &c., with 
its endless forms, will, I trust, be more than sufficient 
reason for my momentary digression. It is so familiar 
to us all, as to have become everybody’s plant; a plant 
which always must accompany every seed order. The 
great variety of colour, the rich telling shades of which 
render them so conspicuous, that their annual display 
is regarded with certainty. It was about the year 1821 
when it was first introduced to England, since which 
time we have flowers of all shades, both single and 
double, and many excellent free-flowering strains, by 
different raisers. 
P. vertkillata. —This species is of Abyssinian origin, 
and consequently is not hardy. It is, however, so 
very pleasing and distinct that I think a passing notice 
may not be out of place ; it grows 1 ft. high, the leaves 
and stems being covered with a silvery farina, and 
bearing whorls of deep yellow and fragrant flowers. It 
is most interesting as a cool greenhouse species, and 
flowers in mid-winter. I have kept seed of this Prim¬ 
rose for about seven years merely wrapped in paper, 
which has germinated to the extent of about 90 per 
cent, in three weeks from the sowing, much to the 
writer’s surprise and pleasure. 
P. viscosa. —A charming Alpine species, having clear 
rosy purple flowers nearly 1 in. across, and growing 
about 4 in. high. It is a native of the Alps and 
Pyrenees where it forms charming cushions of its some¬ 
what clammy leaves, and surmounted by numerous 
heads of its exceedingly pretty and sweet flowers ; a 
charming plant for the rockery where it should have a 
