June 8, 1907. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
381 
— A CHARMING — 
Primula 
1 Primula ciliata purpurea). 
At first sight this bears no distant re¬ 
semblance to some of the less select seed¬ 
ling alpine Auriculas of the florist. lhc 
flowers are, of course, much smaller, but 
they have a white zone in the centre 
though without the meal which is requisite 
in a show Auricula. The leaves are light 
green without meal, and in this respect 
also remind one of an alpine Auricula. 
The flowers, of the type are mauve, but 
those of the variety under notice are dark' 
purple, thus making a beautiful contrast 
with the white eye: 
Those who have a rockery would find 
this a choice subject in a fairly moist 
situation not overhung by trees, though 
more or less sheltered from north and east 
winds which usually prove so trying to 
spring flowering subjects in the open. 
Those who cannot readily give the _pro¬ 
per situation will find it easier to cultivate- 
the plant in pots in a cold frame. Being 
perfectly hardy, all that is necessary is 
shelter and plenty of moisture during the 
summer when the atmosphere in the low¬ 
lands is dry and hot. Those who have a 
collection of Primulas of this class would 
find it advantageous to turn round the 
frame so that it would face the north dur¬ 
ing- summer. 
-- 
— A BEAUTIFUL — 
2^ Daffodil 
(Narcissus Leedsii Eileen Mitchell). 
Although placed in the section Leedsii 
this Daffodil has', a different origin -from 
the bulk of them, it having been raised 
bv crossing N. triandrus calathinus and 
a form of N. Leedsii. The true forms of 
N. Leedsii bear only one flower, but this 
bears from one to three blooms on a stem. 
Thev are snow-white with .a cup-shaped 
chalice as in calathinus., Besides carry¬ 
ing two or three flowers on a stem, the 
variety is also free flowering, and when 
bulbs reach a flowering size they continue 
to produce a display every year if grown 
under suitable conditions. These pure 
white flowers are sweetly scented, thus 
adding another quality to a very beautiful 
Daffodil. Our photograph was taken in 
the nursery of Messrs. Barr and Sons, 
Long Ditton, Surrey, during the last week 
of April. 
-—- 
On the Editor’s Table. 
Polyanthuses 
Trom Forde Abbey. 
On our table is a box of the splendid 
strain of Polyanthuses .at which Mr. John 
Crook, gardener to Mrs. Evans, Forde 
Abbey. Chard. Somerset, has been work¬ 
ing for the last twenty-five, years. He 
also had an exhibit of these Polyanthuses 
at the Royal Horticultural Hall on the 
Primula ciliata purpurea. 
occasion of the Auricula and Primula 
Society’s Show. 
These flowers exhibit a great variety of 
colours, ranging from pure white with an 
orange eye to primrose-yellow and golden- 
yellow with the dark orange eye prevail¬ 
ing throughout the strain. In another 
direction we have shades running from a 
bright rose-purple to lake, red and rich 
velvety crimson. These also have the 
five lobed orange eye, thus making a fine 
contrast to these flowers. Although late 
in the season, the flowers are still in 
prime freshness, and many of them .are of 
•large size. The pips of some of them 
were very nearly 1% in. in diameter. The 
various shades of crimson were of a high 
[Maclaren and Sons. 
quality, and one could hardly expect to 
see more refined flowers amongst these 
old-fashioned favourites. All of them 
possess the characteristic sweet savour 
which always reminds us of the old- 
fashioned cottage garden in spring. 
This fine strain is kept up by continu¬ 
ally selecting seeds from the best of them, 
thereby maintaining and improving the 
strain from year to year. There were 
also some other shades of colour to wTiich 
it would be difficult to give a name, but 
recalling, in a measure, the mixture of 
hues which we see in Wallflower Eastern 
Queen. Although Mr. Crook has worked 
at them for many years, he is modest over 
the virtues of his old-time favourites. 
[,Maclaren and Sons 
Narcissus Leedsii Eileen Mitchell 
