RIMROSES, symbolizing springtime and immortality, 
exercise an appeal anda fascination which is at. once per- 
sonal and universal. The fresh, pure beauty. of Primroses in 
the rain or unfolding under an. early and:uncertain sun is the 
Same whether they are gathered in gardens of the western 
world or in the quiet, tranquil places of their origin. a 
Hast and West, Primroses are sought before winter has 
quite gone but here their tangible similarity ends for no flow- 
er family possesses such'.a wide diversity of color, form and 
fragrance as does the genus’ Primula.which contains over six 
hundred species and uncounted millions of hybrids. But their 
message is the same. Whether from the alpine slopes and 
meadows of the Himalayas and Chinese Alps or from the 
hedgerows, copses and dunes of -Britain, the ditch-sides of 
France, the woods and pastures of Germany, these early flow- 
ers are gathered by young and. old to gladden winter-weary 
spirits. From the Italian, Swiss and Austrian Alps, the Bal- 
Kans, the Caucasus and east to Afghanistan, northern India 
and Tibet following the great mountains as the ancient car- 
avan route of Marco Polo’s day,Primroses are harbingers of 
the spring. They continue east of East jumping from north- 
eastern Asia to the Aleutians, Alaska .and traversing the 
length of the Rockies. 
Here is a family so old that the bards before Elizabeth’s 
reign extolled its virtues, and so new that even now plant 
hunters prepare to penetrate unexplored regions of Asia for 
the unknown. Here is a flower which has for ages and in 
many ways served mankind’s need for beauty—but always 
with a singleness of purpose whether used in the occidenta! 
wedding bouquet or placed before an oriental shrine. 
The particular areas which harbor Primulas have a con- 
dition in common which provides the key to successful cul- 
ture. Moisture in every form is present from the time the 
plants begin to bloom until dormancy approaches in the fall. 
In addition to showers, storms, fog, dew, the summer monsoon 
in Asia, melting snows and sub-irrigation, Primulas almost 
always seek the coolest spots in the shade of rocks, in crevic- 
es, along streams, in thin woods, under shrubs, and in tall 
grasses. Give Primroses water during their blooming season 
when not provided by Nature; give them water during their 
growing season which immediately follows the blooming per- 
iod and continues throughout the summer and early fall; put 
them in your coolest garden spot; give them small amounts of 
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