THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 237 



mixed therewith, and a layer of the latter over the surface. Silver 

 sand is certainly the best, but good clean river sand, free from mud, 

 will do very well. After the bed is ready, and has had a fair watering 

 to settle the soil, dibble the cuttings in rows three inches apart, and 

 about one inch from each other in the rows. This done, give the bed 

 another sprinkle through a fine rose and shut up, shading the cuttings 

 in bright weather ; attend to them with water when necessary, and 

 give air as soon as they are rooted, finally removing the lights alto- 

 gether a few days before planting out into a bed in the open air, 

 which must be done directly the cuttings are nicely rooted. Dig 

 the bed deep and give it a good dressing of rotten manure, select 

 a position for it which is moderately cool, and partially shaded 

 through the hottest part of the day ; give plenty of water should 

 the weather continue dry after the plants are turned out. Prepare 

 a quantity of soil composed of two parts turfy loam, and one 

 part decayed cow-dung and leaf-mould in equal quantities ; this 

 being done, prepare a sufficient quantity of three-inch pots, by 

 making them thoroughly clean and placing several pieces of small 

 crocks in the bottom, and take up the plants and pot them in 

 these pots about the end of September, and remove them to a cold 

 frame, where they must remain through the winter months, stand- 

 ing on a layer of coal ashes to prevent the worms getting into 

 the pots. They ought not to be more than nine inches from the 

 glass ; keep the frame rather close for a few days after they are 

 newly potted, to assist their recovery as quickly as possible ; after this 

 give plenty of air at all times, excepting during sharp frosty weather, 

 when it is as well to throw a mat, or a little dry litter, over the frame, 

 to aff'ord a little protection. In February shift into six-inch pots, 

 and then after they are nicely rooted in the new soil, remove the 

 lights altogether in fine weather, and tilt them back and front in 

 wet weather. Though the pansy requires an abundance of air, it 

 must not be exposed to the drenching of heavy rains. Water must be 

 cautiously administered throughout the winter, increasing it as the 

 spring advances, and the plants get into more active growth. Avoid 

 manure water and trust to pure rain water, then there will be very 

 little fear of losing any of them. Full half the plants that die are 

 killed through the too liberal application of liquid manure. When 

 in bloom shade slightly, to keep the flowers in good condition as long 

 as possible ; and alter observing that it is as well to make the soil 

 when potting moderately firm, without being made too hard, nothing 

 remains for me to say beyond giving my selection, which the grower 

 can add to when he is better acquainted with pansy growing ; for 

 the present he cannot do better than select the following : — 



Selfs. — Snowball, Golden Qiieen, Othello, Masterpiece, Yellow 

 Queen. 



Yellow Grounds. — Allan Eajnsay, Be Foe, Emily Lyle, Francis 

 Low, Gem, George Wilson, J. B. Do2vnle, John Inglis, Mrs. Downie, 

 Norma, Prince of Wales, William Austin. 



White Grounds. — Attraction, Countess of Fossh/n, Flvina, lu' 

 vincible, Jessie Laird, Ladg Luci/ Dundas, Mary Lamb, Miss E. 

 Cochran, Miss Williamson, Mrs. Moffat, Queen, and Village Maid. 



