206 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
March 11, 1905 . 
Round the Nurseries. 
Messrs. Carter and Co.’s Primulas. 
Last -week we paid a visit of inspection to the Forest Hill 
nursery of Messrs. J. Carter and Co., 237, 238, and 97, High 
Holborn, London, for the purpose of inspecting their cultures 
of Primula chinensis. The seeds are always sown late, so as 
to throw the plants well into the new year before they come 
into bloom. As they are grown solely for the purpose of seed 
production, the earliest of them are now getting past their best 
owing to the fertilisation of the flowers. 
Single Varieties. 
The standard variety Elaine still maintains its vigour, and 
has large, pure white flowers such as are always in demand in 
private establishments. Having existed for many years, the 
variety is now obtainable in four forms—namely, that just 
mentioned together with Elaine (Fern-leaved) and Elaine im¬ 
proved. The Fem-leaved form only differs in having the 
elongated leaf, while Elaine Improved has larger and finer 
flowers than the* type. All of these three have 1 eddish-brown 
leaf-stalks and flower-stems. A fourth selection has also been 
made of a form of Elaine having light green leaf-stalks and 
flower-stems. It is certainly a. distinct variation which may 
yet be sold-separately if-it maintains its standard of quality 
and gains favour simply on account of the light colour of the 
foliage. 
The Duchess, with its white flowers and rosy-carmine centre, 
has; been added to this collection. We next noted a very fine 
variety named Carmine, having large rosy-carmine flowers pro¬ 
duced in compact trusses just rising above the foliage, so that 
the whole plant is a compact mass of leaves and flowers. .Judg¬ 
ing from the quantity of it here and the fine effect it produces, 
we think this would make an excellent market variety in 48- 
size pots, as grown here. Besides the large batches of last 
year’s seedlings, there was also a batch of two-year-old plants 
in larger pots, with more numerous crowns, and altogether 
very floriferous. 
Carter’s Bouquet is a very distinct form which we have had 
under observation for several years past. It has large, white 
flowers, the four or five .outer ones being produced singly on 
stalks, as in the common Primrose. Later on in the centre of 
this-a truss' arises surrounded with large leafy bracts just under 
the umbel of flowers. ' The variety is certainly a very distinct 
one, and as far as the flowers are concerned, it is now of high 
qualify, and if the central truss would rise a bit higher, it 
would certainly be a well-marked and handsome Primula. The 
flowers themselves are indeed of first-class quality. Those who 
visited the last meeting of the R.H.S. were able to see a batch 
of this particular variety which is raised from seed in the same 
way as the ordinary forms. 
■ Ruby is a carmine-red flower of large size, with a white spot 
in the sinus of the divisions of the flowers, and quite distinct 
in this respect. A strong-growing variety and floriferous is 
that named Rose, which is also distinguished by having foliage 
of the Fermleaved type. Holborn Coral lias large bright rose 
flowers and carmine edges, with a. greenish-yellow eye sur¬ 
rounded by a white zone, and altogether quite handsome. Hol¬ 
born Pink has rosy-pink flowers, with leaves of the ordinary 
forms. Another very distinct variety in its way is Holborn 
Crested, which has much fimbriated pink flowers shaded with 
white in the centre, and edged with carmine in the early stages. 
This latter feature disappears as the flower attains full de¬ 
velopment, owing to the intensifying of the colour. Each plant 
produces many trusses, making the variety an effective one. 
Rose Queen also produces numerous trusses, even on small 
plants. The flowers are soft pink, similar in shade to the 
popular Princess May, differing only in the smaller flowers. 
Another addition to the collection is Crimson King, having 
flowers of a brilliant and fiery crimson. Holborn Queen lias 
white flowers produced in large trusses, and several of them 
from each plant. The leaf-stalks and the flower-stems of this 
variety are' light green, being devoid of any brown or led 
colour. A rich colour also is Holborn Magenta, with flowers 
finally intensifying to dark carmine-magenta. 
A recent addition to the collection at Forest Hill is Kmw 
Edward, with large, pure white, much fimbriated or lobed 
flowers, very freely produced. The eye of this variety is much 
greener than usual, being thus veiy distinct by contrast with 
the white. It is evidently popular, being grown in meat 
quantity. A selection has already arisen in this varietv con¬ 
sisting of plants with light green stems and leaf-stalks. 
We noted the superior character of Princess May when it 
originated some years ago. The flowers are of immense size 
as Primulas go, measuring 2 in. to 2J in. across the pip. The 
flower lias a smooth appearance of a soft rosy-pink, and verv 
attractive. Unfortunately, it does not seed very freely, and 
there is always a greater demand for it than can be supplied. 
Holborn Blue is well known, having originated here manv 
years ago, so that description is unnecessary. A distinct 
variety is Venus having white flowers, mottled with rose, like 
those of a Carnation or spotted Balsam. Venus (Fern-leaved 1 
has identical flowers to the previous one and differs merely in 
the foliage. Two varieties that may be bracketed together as 
nearly related are Salmon and Pink. The first-named has car¬ 
mine-salmon flowers, veiy freely produced well above the 
foliage, and the latter is of the ordinary plain-leaved type. 
That named Pink has larger flowers than the other, not so 
nunierous, but of a different shade of colour. A very rich 
colour is that named Scarlet, which produces its showy flowers 
well above the foliage, and if one desires a strong contrast, he 
can get it by placing this alongside a white-flowered variety. 
Vermilion has rather pale flowers In the early stages, but they 
soon intensify to crimson-vermilion, and are very freelv pro¬ 
duced on dwarf plants. Hercules has rich rose flowers of large 
size, and is practically the counterpart of Princess May in 
other respects. Carter’s Bouquet has given rise to a rosy-pink 
variety named Bouquet Pink. We noted only a small number 
of plants, so that this may be regarded as a novelty on trial. 
It possesses the same peculiar habit as the original white one. 
Double Varieties. 
We noted a considerable number of double varieties raised 
from seed, and which continue to find favour, as the flowers 
are more lasting either on the plants or in the cut state than 
the single ones. Many of them are merely the counterparts 
of the single' ones as far as colour is concerned. That would 
apply to Scarlet, the name of which indicates the colour. A 
rather pleasing rosy-lilac and veiy floriferous variety is Lilac 
Queen, piroducing its flowers well above the foliage. Queen 
Alexandra has been added to this collection, and has soft flesh- 
coloured flowers produced in tall trusses well above the foliage, 
which lias green leaf-stalks. Closely, allied to this is an older 
variety named Aurora in Messrs. Carter’s collection. The 
flowers are really of a darker shade, and the flower-stems are 
similarly tall, with the flowers more or less whorled and pro¬ 
duced with great freedom. 
Vivid is in the way of Carmine Empress, but the flowers are, 
of a deep) carmine, with a greater tendency to magenta in 
certain stages of growth. Carmine Empress itself is a plant 
of dwarf and compact habit. Prince of Wales also produces 
tall whorled flower-stems, with bright rosy-salmon flowers. 
Princess of Wales is really a double form of Venus, with 
mottled flowers. Snowflake continues to' be a very valuable 
variety on account of its earliness and the quantity of flowers’ 
which it produces on tall stems. It may be compared tO: 
Queen Alexandra, but has fewer leaves. The blooms are white 
at first, but become shaded with blush when fully developed. 
While looking through the. above Primulas we came upon a 
remarkable variety named Oak Leaf. Each leaf of the plant 
is cut into three portions down to the midrib. Each of the 
divisions is again trifid and cut. It might almost be compared 
to a cut-leaved Pelargonium or even a Crowfoot. Seeds of ir 
are not yet obtainable, being only on trial. A veiy prettr. 
but unnamed seedling, evidently having originated from Hol¬ 
born Blue, is characterised by having a zone of white blotches. 
