THE FLORAL WOELD AND QARDEN GUIDE. 269 



Shakspeare alludes to this meauing in his " Hamlet," where Ophelia 

 says, as she distributes her flowers, " There's rosemary, that's for 

 remembrance ; pray you, love, remember ; and there is pausies, that's 

 for thoughts." 



Pansies are not difficult to cultivate, as they will grow in common 

 garden soil with little attention ; but if it is desired to grow them 

 for exhibition, a sheltered place must be selected, as cutting winds 

 are very injurious, often doing serious damage by twisting them 

 about. Tet the position must not be so sheltered that the air cannot 

 have free access, and if such that the morning sun can get to them 

 all the better- But they must be protected from the fu:l heat of the 

 sun's rays at noonday, and from violent rains, as the first spoils their 

 colour, and the second their petals. 



A light rich sandy soil is that which suits them best ; a hazel 

 loam, with a fair proportion of rotted turf from pasture, thoroughly 

 intermixed by frequent stirring, and added to this a fourth part of 

 cucumber-bed manure, two years old, will be found just the compost 

 for them. Just as they are coming into bloom, watering with guano- 

 water will be found particularly beneficial. 



The plants should be selected with great care for the purpose of 

 producing blooms for exhibition, a great point to bear in mind being 

 that those plants which have borne the best flowers one year will 

 never produce such fine ones the next season. Propagation by means 

 of cuttings should be carried on at any time between the 1st of May 

 and the end of October. Remember as an invariable rule that the 

 youngest and strongest shoots will always make the best plants, and 

 the old hollow stems seldom strike freely. Avoid unhealthy plants, 

 which should never be used for propagating, as the plants raised 

 from them invariably prove failures. They must be protected in the 

 winter from severe weather, but they require but little attention, as 

 they "^yill pass the winter well in a cold frame, but should be bloomed 

 in the open border. 



For flowers to exhibit in May and June, select plants which have 

 been struck in the previous August and September, and for the 

 September exhibitions select plants struck early in the spring. The 

 shoots on each plant should be reduced to four, and these must be 

 staked, to keep them from being damaged by the wind. Never allow 

 blooms to expand unless they are required, and when the weather is 

 very dry top-dress with clean sharp sand, and give a liberal supply 

 of water. After they have produced their blooms, save them for 

 store plants, for the production of cuttings, always keeping a succes- 

 sion of young plants for blooming. Some sorts have a tendency to 

 grow too strong, and produce rough flowers ; but this quality may be 

 improved by growing them in poor soil, or allowing tliem to bloom 

 till they somewhat exhaust themselves, when they will produce better 

 flowers. 



The soil may with advantage be taken away to the depth of ten 

 inches, in the position chosen for blooming them, and its place filled 

 in "with the compost recommended above. If a little sharp sand is 

 mixed with it, it would perhaps be better; and although it should 

 be well mixed, yet it must not be broken up too fine, but have among 



