10 PANSY, VIOLA AND VIOLET 



which to bring the flower to that pitch of perfection 

 which always seems unattainable, however nearly it is 

 approached. 



CONTINENTAL STRAINS 



In addition to the Show and the Fancy Pansies there 

 are numerous continental strains largely grown, two of 

 the best known being Bugnot's and the Trimadeau Pansy. 



Plants of this description are raised in immense quantities 

 by Market Growers, who make quite a speciality of this 

 department of their business. Not seldom their Nursery 

 Grounds are situated in favourable quarters, where 

 under fairly hardy conditions good plants can be turned 

 out in the early Spring. At this time they are sent to 

 Market neatly done up, and sold in boxes of about two 

 dozen in each, at a low figure, and at a price that the 

 retailers by whom they are distributed are enabled to 

 offer them to purchasers at a compaiatively cheap rate. 

 Hence the reason for the remarkable display sometimes 

 seen in Costermongers' barrows, which seldom fails to 

 attract buyers. Many florists and others, in and around 

 large towns, also find a ready market for these Pansies of 

 continental origin. As a rule, the plants grow well 

 until about the end of June, when, with the approach of 

 really warm weather, they succumb to the peculiarities 

 of our English climate at that period. They lack con- 

 stitution, however ; and this is another reason why the 

 named varieties of English and Scotch florists, which 

 possess such a great advantage over the Continental 

 kinds, are to be preferred. 



These continental varieties are invariably propagated 

 by seed, and if the seed is sown in May or June, pricked 

 off during July, and planted out early in the Autumn, 

 an effective display may be made with them in the late 

 Spring and early Summer of the following year. 



