18 
PRIMULA SINENSIS. 
flowers ; it becomes, then, necessary to treat a few individuals in 
a manner expressly adapted to cause them to fructify, for their 
management as merely ornamental objects is not suited to this 
purpose. The primary consideration connected therewith is to 
prevent-the plants exhausting their strength in the development 
of flowers through the winter. As an assistance to this, it is 
better to sow in July than at an earlier period, and by removing 
the flower stems as they appear, strong plants will result for the 
summer’s blooming. A situation fully exposed to the influence 
of the sun is essential when in flower, that the pollen may be 
properly matured; which is indeed the great and almost only 
requisite to the plentiful production of the seed. With the or¬ 
dinary management in other respects, and attention to this, there 
can be little doubt of its being duly matured as freely as in other 
plants of the class. A shelf in the greenhouse, near to the glass, 
and in a position that air can be admitted to the plants, is perhaps 
the best and most promising that can be suggested, unless indeed 
a small frame can be devoted to them, where they will be under 
more immediate control. 
The generic title of the family of primroses is derived from 
“ primus,” first, in allusion to their flowering at an early part 
of the year. The common primrose, the oxlip, cowslip, and 
polyanthus are all included in it; indeed the genus contains about 
fifty true species, besides a great number of varieties, in addition to 
those included in the florists’ catalogues. The present species is 
a native of China, whence it was originally introduced in 1820, 
by John Reeves, Esq., a corresponding member of the Horticul¬ 
tural Society, then residing at Canton. It is the P. preenitens 
of the Botanic Register ; but as the specific term sinensis was first 
employed, and to which no objection worth notice can be offered, 
it has continued to be more generally used. Mr. T. Wild, of 
Ipswich, the fortunate possessor of the varieties figured, raised 
them, we believe, in the course of last season; the crimson one 
is called Suffolk Beauty, and is perhaps the richest coloured va¬ 
riety we possess ; the other, Village Maid, though of more subdued 
shades, is superior in form, and its pretty pale edging renders it 
particularly desirable. 
Editor. 
