FROM THE HEIGHTS OF THE WORLD 
Primroses and springtime have always advanced hand in 
hand to stand before mankind in a beauty that is ever radiant, 
fresh and pure. Beginning before winter has quite gone, prim- 
rose time starts like a trickling mountain stream released by 
the first thawing, gathers strength and momentum as it 
courses down the season adding blooms from the world’s 
northern valleys, woodlands, mountain ledges and meadows, 
and spills its crest into late spring and summer. 
That vast numbers of the primula family are from the 
mountains of cold countries is no longer a surprise to most 
gardeners. To know that these widely separated sections of 
the world have in common at least two conditions affecting 
vegetation is the key to growing primroses successfully. 
Primulas have concentrated in three main alpine regions— 
the European Alps, the Caucasus and the Himalayas in Asia. 
These three centers are linked together by members of the 
family scattered over the British Isles, northern and central 
Europe, the Balkans, Turkey, Afghanistan, Japan, Siberia, 
across to the Aleutians, Alaska and down the spine of the 
Rockies. 
In these territories moisture in every degree and invention 
is present during the summer to keep the plants cool and 
growing: the weekly rain storms of the Alps; England’s 
showers, fogs, mist and dew; the daily bucketfuls released by 
the monsoon over the Himalayas; the sudden storms and 
heavy dews of the Caucasus; melting snows above ground and 
transient moisture underground—these conditions may have 
generated the great thirst of the primrose family, at any rate, 
it is thus satisfied. Only a few isolated exceptions have es- 
caped the family trait due to naturally drier conditions. 
When this need for summer water is supplied__even in the 
Spring and fall if these seasons should be unusually dry— 
and the perfect drainage of their homelands provided together 
with shade from the hot afternoon sun, there is no primrose 
that will not respond to the full extent of its loveliness. 
Drouth, hot sun and poor drainage are the enemies of prim- 
roses, not cold, for they are hardy in all parts of the United 
States, Alaska and Canada wherever gardening is possible. 
AT BARNHAVEN 
Primroses have been our hobby for a good many years. 
We have been selecting and hand-pollinating English Polyan- 
thus and Acaulis primroses long enough to have identified 
their descriptions with this country, building upon the founda- 
tion of excellence given them by world famous English firms. 
Practically all Polyanthus and Acaulis offered this year are 
the result of scientific hybridizing. Next year all plants will 
be from hand-pollinated seed. 
Selecting and hand-pollinating Auriculas; selecting the 
best forms of Asiatic primulas; crossing species for new 
hybrids; importing new species, testing and acclimating them, 
making surveys as the plants go out over the country is all 
part of our work. Such selection and scientific grooming of 
plants that began as thoroughbreds make them unexcelled any- 
where. Seeds of these plants are harvested only as they ripen, 
are properly cured and stored, tested for germination and 
sold the current year. ' 
Our plants are not coddled but grow outdoors the year 
around and know all the hardships of winter. They are not 
stimulated with quick-acting fertilizers but fed a moderate 
ration of slow-acting organic plant food, either raw bonemeal 
or barnyard manure. Thus their vitality and energy is at its 
highest when they are shipped. 
This year’s Primrose Guide and Catalog has been planned 
as a planting as well as a cultural guide. The friendliness and 
appreciation shown our work has made us cast about for 
ways to increase your pleasure with primroses. 

Polyanthus Primroses 
