ON THE CULTURE OF PANSIES. 201 



mother plant, but I have no doubt that the same pod of seed 

 ^vill produce many different varieties, both in colour and shade, as 

 well as in the fonn and size of the petals. Mr. Hogg informs us 

 that he gathered several pods of seed the early part of June last, 

 whicli he hardened for a few days in the sun, and then sowed them 

 in large pots, which he kept moderately moist in a frame, and 

 shaded during the middle of the day when necessary. 



These plants were pricked out in the ground about the middle 

 of August, and many of them are now coming into flower, and are 

 of the choicest description. The largest flowers are generally 

 found on young vigorous plants, and in the earliest part of the 

 ■ season, many will measure 2} inches in length, and 2 inches 

 across the two upper petals ; the coloui-s, variegation, and pencil- 

 ling are then more unifonn and regular than they are towards the 

 end of summer. The jjrevailing colours of the Pansy are purple, 

 both light and dark, as well as red and blue shaded, white, orange, 

 and yellow of difllerent shades, and these often separate on distinct 

 flowers, which are called self or plain coloured ; but more frequently 

 two, three, or four of those colours are combined and distinctly 

 marked on the same flower. It is this singular combination of 

 colours that heightens their beauty, and distinguishes one variety 

 from another. Some come of a reddish bronze or copper colour, 

 as in the one named the " Copper Captain" j as if a purple flower 

 had been impregnated with an orange one, or vice versa. I have 

 seen a beautiful seedling this summer, marked with five distinct 

 colours : the two upjier petals were of deep jnirple ; the two next 

 or middle ones were of pure white, with a light blue, or azure- 

 coloured, blotch or spot on each ; and the bottom petal near the 

 eye, as far as the 2)encilled lines extend, was of deep orange ; the 

 remaining pait was buff, with a triangulr pur|)le sjiot at the end. 

 Pansies grow very readily, and soon sj)read widely. When the 

 plants thus extend, the soil being exhausted, and the stems smo- 

 thering eacli other, the overgrown roots produce only small (lowers. 

 It is therefore necessary, in order to have fine flowers, frequently 

 to renew the plants. 



Pro])agation by cuttings, to be successful, ought to take place 

 at the end of May, or early in June. If left till July or August, 

 the success will bi; hazardous, because tlie flower-stems get hollow 



and j)Jthy. 'J'ln' readiest and most certain way is by layers, and 



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