1879.] NOTES ON THE CULTURE OF THE PANSY. 109 



successfully raised in spring. I use boxes filled with a rich open compost 

 for this season, and place them in a structure where a mild heat is kept 

 up. When sufficiently strong they are pricked off" into other boxes, and 

 kept growing till, in April, they are finally planted out. These bloom 

 later than those treated as biennials, but do equally well in other 

 respects. 



With regard to the propagation of named sorts from slips with or 

 without roots, the enthusiastic florist who desires a continuous supply 

 of first-rate blooms, must, with an alteration of terms suitable to the 

 circumstances, appropriate to himself the laird's advice to his son, and 

 be " aye stickin' in " cuttings. And just a word as to the best kind of 

 cuttings. I like them about 2 inches in length, and stocky. These 

 are much better root-producers, and make better plants than those of 

 much greater length. Plants to flower early in the year should be pro- 

 pagated early in autumn, and planted out about the end of September. 

 Another batch of cuttings taken in the beginning of October will be 

 ready for planting in February following, and will succeed the first- 

 mentioned lot. To succeed these, another batch of cuttings must be 

 struck in spring — this time in a frame ; and yet another strike is re- 

 quired for a late bloom. These should be selected with roots attached, 

 and pricked into very rich root-producing soil. Growers not so anxious 

 to keep a stock of young blooming plants going should propagate in 

 October, and plant out in February, when, with a little attention to the 

 plants in removing seed-capsules, and keeping a thin supply of young 

 growths, with the necessary cultivation of course, a continuous supply 

 of flowers will be had to the end of the season. 



Pansies flourish in all kinds of soil; but in order to have them at their 

 best, the Pansy fancier — " Amateur," a Frenchman would designate 

 him — will be at some trouble to gain that end. In some soils it will 

 be unnecessary to do more than dig in a rich dressing ; but in soils of a 

 poor nature more pains must be taken in preparing the bed. I would 

 recommend the ground to be deeply trenched in autumn; at the same 

 time working in a liberal dressing of manure whilst the trenching is 

 proceeded with. In spring, 4 inches of the surface-soil should be 

 thrown out, and a compost of fresh loam, decayed manure, and soot 

 thrown into its place, and mixed with the natural soil to the depth of 

 9 inches. A mulching of spent mushroom-dung, with a little soot 

 added, should be applied to the surface of the soil immediately the 

 plants have been got into their places. Twelve by fifteen inches is a 

 good distance to set out the plants. 



Where particularly fine blooms are desired, there is no better plan 

 than I have seen followed by growers in Berwickshire. They have a 

 set of open frames, which are filled with a compost in which the plants 

 are grown ; and they have the plants, therefore, entirely under control. 

 Where slugs abound, a gutter is run round the frame, and kept always 

 full of water. Blooms for exhibition should be shaded seven or eight 



