8 WILD, OR NATIVE FLOWERS. 



clouded on the outside with purple : the buds are also dark, while the 

 petals of the flower are veined with purple, and in some cases there is a 

 shade of yellow in the centre of the flowers, but this is not seen when 

 under cultivation. 



The plant continues to send forth blossoms all through the summer 

 and even late in the month of September when undisturbed, the seeds 

 ripening early, form new plants, which, sheltered by the parent stems, 

 continue to increase, forming a compact ball of snow-white flowers. 

 This has been the case in my own garden. If well watered and in 

 suitable soil, this pretty branching violet may be taken from the woods 

 even in full bloom, and will grow and continue to blossom freely, but 

 must have shade and moisture and leaf-mould to ensure success to its 

 healthy growth. The leaves are large, broad at the base, narrowing to 

 a very slender point and coarsely toothed. 



Among the branching Violets we have two very pretty lilac ones : 

 Long Spurred Violet ( Viola tostrata) and the Dog Violet ( Viola canina 

 var. sylvestris). These pretty species are distinguished by the long spur, 

 lilac-tinted petals, striped and veined with dark purple and branching 

 stem. The next in point of interest is the 



Downy Yellow Violet — Viola piibescetis, (Ait.) 



This handsome species is confined to our forests and copses. It 

 will attain to more than a foot in height in its rich native woods, and 

 blossoms in early summer ; the colour is golden yellow, veined with black 

 jetty lines. The seed-vessels are deeply clothed with white silky wool. 



The Yellow Violet has been immortalised by the sweet verses of 

 that rare poet of nature Cullen Byrant — almost every child is familiar 

 with his stanzas to the Yellow Violet. There is another variety of this 

 \''iolet, called var. scabriuscula, which is not so branching, lower, the 

 leaves darker, and and the blossoms smaller but of a deeper golden 

 colour. This variety is found in drier, more open soil — the black 

 veining more distinctly marked than in the downy Yellow Violet, and 

 the seed-vessels smooth. They both imjirove under culture, having two 

 sets of flowers during the season. 



The A'iolet has ever been a favourite flower with the poets, from 

 Shakespeare and Milton down to the present day we find niention of 

 this lovely flower scattered through their verses. Nor are the old Italian 

 poets silent in its praise. Luigi de Gonzaga, in stanzas addressed to his 

 lady-love, says : — 



" But only violets shall twine 

 Thyel)<)n tresses, lady mine." 



