VIOLA 249 



Vi'oLA — continued. 



There are several well-recognised classes of 

 Pansy, viz. : — The Fancy Pansy, or Belgian as 

 it is sometimes called. The Show or English 

 Pansy, and the Viola, Scotch or Tufted Pansy. 

 The Fancy Pansy has almost superseded the 

 old-fashioned Show variety. The blooms are 

 much larger and the petals broader, while the 

 colours and markings differ very much, 

 including yellows, purples, blues, claret or 

 mulberry, and brown, with sometimes wavy, 

 frilled, or crimped edges. 



The Show Pansy, on the other hand, is 

 small and round and stififer in appearance, 

 the colours, although blotched with black or 

 dark velvety purple, consist of not more than 

 two shades. The habit of both is to spread 

 over the ground, especially in old plants, in 

 rather an untidy manner, but this is contrary 

 to the manner of the Tufted Pansies. These 

 make superb beds, are veiy free-flowering, 

 compact, and hardy, while the colours give an 

 infinite variety from lavender to rich purple and 

 yellow, mostly " selfs " and rayless, or nearly so. 

 There is a French strain chiefly remarkable 

 for its size and coarseness, called Trimardeau, 

 with three large blotches on the petals. 



A very fine Pansy and somewhat new is 

 known as Masterpiece, the dark violet petals, 

 edged with yellow, being very much frilled and 

 curled. 



