274 
THE GARDENERS’ MAGAZINE. 
Apeil 19, 19]., 
A colkction of natural hybrid primulae 
from Mr. R. Farrer; some from Kew; a fine 
series of new species from the Edinburgh 
Botanic Gardens; and a large number of 
primroses, single and double, from Dr. Mac- 
Watt, illustrated the various lectures. 
EUROPEAN PRIMULAS. 
Dr. J. MacWatt, of Duns, Berwick, who 
for many years has taken a keen interest in 
hardy primulas, and has formed a large col¬ 
lection of species and geographical forms, and 
has also taken up garden primroses and 
raised a number of double forms, showing 
distinct colouring, read a lengthy paper upon 
“ European Primulas,and illustrated his 
remarli with a large number of lantern 
elides. Some of the slides illustrated speci¬ 
mens growing in their native homes, while 
others represented specimens growing in Dr. 
MacWatt’s garden. 
Many rare species were dealt with, and 
some directions for the cultivation of these 
rare kinds were given. He urged that not a 
few kinds in commerce were wrongly named, 
notably P. viscosa, which he referred to P. 
hirsuta, but P. frondosa, a well-known alpine 
gem, and a popular species, he considered was 
correctly named, though botanists sometimes 
think otherwise. P. hirsuta Balfouriana, P. 
Allioni, P. minima, P. Palinuri, and P. 
acaule Evelyn Arkwright were finely illus¬ 
trated. 
Dr. MacWatt concluded with cultural re¬ 
marks as to soil, shade, drainage, etc., and 
he emphasised the need of fresh air, moisture 
in ^ring and summer, and a fairly dry con¬ 
dition during winter. 
EUROPEAN HYBRIDS IN NATURE. 
Mr. Reginald Farrer, of Clapton, Yorks, 
who has ranged most of the European Alps 
m search of alpine plants, has become inti¬ 
mately familiar not only with the species 
of primulas, but with the vast number of 
natural hybrids to be found in nature. His 
paper was a delightful one to listen to, and 
it conveyed a vast amount of first-hand in¬ 
formation, together with opinions respecting 
t^ origin of many kinds, formed as a result 
of clo^ observation during his plant hunts. 
He pointed out that crosses between primula 
species of different sections were rare and 
problematic; between species of the same 
subsection crosses are rare except in the 
subswtion Auricula. The two most prolific 
plants were, Mr. Farrer declared, un¬ 
doubtedly P minima and P. Auricula, these 
having a wide range, and thus coming into 
cont^t with many species that are more or 
^ local. P. Auricula crosses freely with 
P. hirsuta^ viscosa of gardens), and Mr. 
tor the whole large range of these hybrids 
“ Mrs. J. H. \Vilson ” 
and The General,” are of great garden 
value He said that the most wholesale 
parent was P. minima,, and all its hybrids 
are of u^ and interest, but, curiously 
enough, while P. minima crosses readily with 
very maaiy species, it Appears to spurn, the 
Mr. Fa?rer com 
sidered P intermedia, P. Steini, and the fra¬ 
grant violet-coloured P. glutinosa as the 
finest of the natural hybrids. P. viscosa 
he coi^dered was also a common pai-ent. He 
r which might be 
l^lmids between certain species, but which 
tT 1 ^ 1 - however, 
he teheved there were many go^ natural 
hybrids yet to lie determined 
To his entertaining and instructive paper 
Mr. Farrer appended a table of primula 
crones, the genus being suitably divided into 
Its several sub-sectione. He concluded bv 
as^ng for a wider cultivation of these 
natural crosses and urged that certain hv- 
wids, such as Kellereri, Forsteri pubescens 
Keen and the magnificent ’intermedia, 
should rank, for show, ease of culture and 
general garden value far above any of the 
species, except spectabilis, Clusiana, mar- 
ginata, carniolica. piedemontana, hirsuta 
and Auricula. ’ 
Mr. Farrer is an enthusiast, and he glori¬ 
fied his subject so admirably that one began 
to imagine every primula was a yard high, 
with flower heads two feet across, and blooms 
not le^ than three inches in diameter; in¬ 
deed, it almost seemed that this world was 
made especially for primulas, and all other 
flowers were accidental, but, after all, the 
enthusiast makes for progress. 
CHINESE AND JAPANESE PRIMULAS. 
The afternoon session began at -2 p.m. 
Professor Bayley Balfour did not read his 
paper on “ J apanese Species of Primula,"” 
but referred to the newer Chinese species, as 
they were portrayed upon the screen. He 
pointed out that owing to recent explorations 
there were now about loO Chinese species 
known, many of these having been origin¬ 
ally found by Roman Catholic missionaries. 
So far, however, only a small part of China 
has been carefully explored, and the intro¬ 
duction of many species to cultivation was 
due to Messrs. J. Ycitch and Son, through 
their collectors, Messrs. Wilson and Purdom, 
‘and to the Messrs. Bees, through Mr. Forrest 
and Mr. Kingdon Ward. At present, the Pro- 
fe^or said, Mr. Kingdon Ward was still 
collecting in China, and Mr. Forrest was 
also collecting for Mr. J. C. Williams of 
Caerhays Castle, Cornwall so many other 
species might be hoped for. He said that 
Yunnan had provided a large number of 
known Chinese species, but by means 
of a map he showed that at present we 
are only touching the fringe of Chinese 
primulas. 
Profes^r Balfour is an enthusiast, and his 
observations upon the species illustrated were 
great appreciated. He showed P. sinensis 
and P. obconica, and noticed that the former, 
stable in the wild state, had varied greatly 
under cultivation, whereas the opposite was 
the case with P. obconica, and yet the two 
species grew side by side in China. He 
drew attention to P. obconico-Listeri, a spe¬ 
cies likely to prove of great garden value 
because it had the good points of P. obconica 
minus its stinging hairs. P. Veitchi, of 
the cortusoides section; P. pycnarova, and a 
series of woodland plants comprised in the 
P. geranaefolia group; the beautiful spicate 
species, such as P. Littoniana, P. spicata, 
P. nessensis, P. secundiflora, and P. pinnati- 
fida; the miniature kinds, like P. umbrella, 
P. membranifolia. and P. Kichenensis; and 
the stronger-growing P. serratifolia, P. 
Beeseana, P. pulverulenta, and P. Bullyana, 
w^ere all referred to as very beautiful. 
Professor Balfour pointed out that some 
species were rather difficult to manage, and 
he felt that they would often do better if 
supplied with moisture from below instead 
of above, and that if a longer, cold resting 
period, with lees moisture, could be provided, 
he believed many cultural difficulties would 
vanish. The statement that .£3,000 bad been 
granted for the erection of a large cool- 
house, with an indoor rockery, at the Edin¬ 
burgh Gardens, was received ^tli applause. 
Professor Balfour considered that in such a 
house many choice species could be grown 
successfully. 
In addition to living plants and lantern 
slides, Professor Balfour had a large collec¬ 
tion of photographs or rare species show- 
ing the latter as growing or as dried 
herbarium specimens. The lecturer was very 
heartily applauded at the conclusion of hfs 
remarks. 
Mr. Elwes suggested a refrigerating appa¬ 
ratus to keep such a house as Professor Bal¬ 
four had suggested sufficiently cool to ensure 
the plants having a long rest. He also drew 
from Professor Balfour the lemark that col¬ 
lectors aided the cultivator greatly if they 
noted, not merely the altitude at which spe¬ 
cies were found, but also the special condi¬ 
tions under which the plants were growing 
PRIMULAS FROM A GARDEN POINT OF 
VIEW. 
Mr. Craib’s paper, a technical one, bring¬ 
ing Sir G. Watts’synopsis up to date, was in 
the absence of the author, taken as read. 
read Miss Gertrude 
Jekylls paper on “ Primulas from a Garden 
Point of View,’’ which dealt wiH, 
and polyanthuses in their vanbuV?^ 
to™®, alpine and border auricula 
.This sliort-iiapier formed a fittine c«n.i 
Sion to the conference series, 
scribed how garden® had been and^uldi^ 
Wntihed with hardy primula spedw^ 
the host of gardeh'-forms now avaiUbire^ 
cialty when thes*#>ere planted with 
hand, and proper sites were selected 
and this was second^ by Mr. R. 
and heartily accorded. A similarly heam 
vote was accorded the. veteran chairman.^ 
CARNATIONS DUCHESS OF 
DEVONSHIRE AND 
FAIRMOUNT. 
On referring to the Gaedenebs’ Magiiui 
Of March 15, I was interested in Mr. M \11 
wood’s article, “Perpetual-flowering Canu- 
tion Novelties for 1913.” While I agree witli 
the writer to a great extent, I must tak* 
exception to his criticism on Duche« of 
Devonshire, and also the optimistic and eomew 
what inflated character which he gave to 
Fairmount. 
With reference to the former variety, Mr. 
Allwood is good enough to admit that thii 
deep crimson is of beautiful form. Hoi^ 
ever, he says “ it is not quite so free-flowerii^ 
as some of the varieties.” I should ht 
glad to know how Mr. Allwood arrive! 
at this conclusion. How many plants has be 
grown ? 
As the raisers and disseminators of Duche* 
of Devonshire, firm claims that it is the 
best all-round crimson carnation for private 
collections. Xn my opinion, no ciimson 
variety has yet reached high-water mark of 
perfection, but it is claimed for the varktv 
that it is free-flow'ering, and makes a beautl 
fill plant, such as the average private cultiv*. 
tor delights to look upon; and I further state 
that it would give more flowers over ant 
given period than any other crimson varktr 
in existence. 
It would be superfluous to give my owi 
experience in growing the Duchess of Devoa* 
shire, but I might say that, with the large 
number of professional gardeners and ami- 
teurs who have grown the variety, it is * 
great favourite. 
Last week I was in the North, and went te 
^ a large private collection of perpetuak 
in the vicinity of Warrington, where evea 
Mr. All wood will admit conditions, owing to 
the chemically-charged air, are not 
ideal. This collection contained a large num¬ 
ber of plants of Duchess of Devonshire, and 
the owners immedately stated that it was 
the best all-round crimson that he had 
grown. . , 
I could also give numerous other opinion 
of gardeners who are well up in the carnation 
world, to say nothing of the constant refor* 
ence in your columns, and other of 
cipal gardening papers which report sho 
This must prove, by the accounts given, tw 
Duchess of Devonshire has come to j 
With reference to Fairmount, Mr. 
says that the growth is strong and 
and that the variety is likely to super^^ 
popular variety Mikado. My 
growing Fairmount is limited, as we 
only a few hundred plants.- However, 
already seen enough of it to be able to ■ • 
that it is nothing like so fre^floweri g 
Mikado, and, in my opinion, it 
claim to being a healthy grower. i ^ 
pressing this opinion, I have m ^ 
s ocks that I have seen growing m 
parts of the country. ffV i 
I think that if Mr. Allwood ^ 
a fresh stock of Mikado, he would 
alter his opinion) of this ^^^“If^ado 
runner of the mauve varieties. Mik 
outlive Fairmount, and many 
tinted varieties of recent 
although it is not by 
carnation. C. H. lAtn 
