200 ox THE CrT.TUKK OF PAXSIES. 



Tlic Viola tricolor has been known in this country by a variety 

 of names, as Herb Trinity (in allusion to the three colours fre- 

 quently contained in one flower), Heart's-ease, Pansies, Love in 

 Idleness, Cull me to you, Cull me sweet, and Three Faces under 

 one Hood. 



IVIatthiolus says that the Pansey is found growing in a wild 

 state on Mount Baldus, in Italy ; and Lobel says that it gi'ows 

 wild in Langucdoc, in France. It is also said to grow wild in 

 Japan. Nevertheless, it is generally considered to be a native of 

 England, at the first found growing upon the tops of high hills. 

 Gerard adds, that in his time he had not seen the same, from 

 which it appears that the plant was not at that period very general 

 in this country in a ^^'ild state, if even a native. 



Culture. — New kinds are raised from seed ; this may be col- 

 lected during mosi of the smnmer months. Seed crathered at any 

 time up to September, may be sot\ii immediately. The plants 

 will then have sufficient time to be finuly rooted before winter, 

 and not be liable to be cast out by frost, nor to damp off. The 

 seed should be sown in a shady situation, upon a bed of light 

 finely sifted soil. After sowing the seed, sift a little mould over, 

 so as to cover it, and no more ; then gently press the surface with 

 a flat board, to cause the seed and soil to adhere together, by which 

 means the former will more certainly vegetate. The plants will 

 generally ajjpeai- in a week or ten days.- When thej- are about 

 an inch high, they should be transplanted into the beds in which 

 they are intended to flower, fom* inches apart. Choose an open, 

 sheltered situation. The plants will flower the following spring. 



Seed gathered after the first of September had better be reserved 

 for sowing the following April, unless sown in pots or boxes, 

 and thus be able to protect the young plants from the severity of 

 frost. 



It sometimes happens that if the seed be left on too long, the 

 pods are apt to burst open, and to scatter it on the groimd, where 

 mnnerous young plants will spring up in the autumn, jiarticularly 

 if a little fine mould be strewed on the surface round the old 

 plants. These seedlings may be taken up any time in September, 

 or the beginning of October, and planted out in beds to flower the 

 spring following, when the finest may be selected for keeping, and 

 the inferior ones cast away. Several of course will resemble the 



