TUFTED PANSIES OR VIOLAS 15 



seedlings, until now it is extremely difficult to ascertain 

 whether they are, or are not, descendents of such a noble 

 ancestor. Encouraged by this new success, Dr Stuart 

 raised many others, all having the same characteristics as 

 the parent plant. Some of the best-known are Blue Goivti, 

 mauve-blue ; F/orize/, lilac blush ; Ethereal, a beautiful 

 heliotrope; Rosea Pallida, very pale rose; and many others. 



Unfortunately, perhaps, for some things, the plants in 

 the first stage of their existence that is to say, when 

 propagated the season previous to their being planted out 

 are, owing to their character of growth, somewhat small. 

 When customers receive from the specialist these small 

 pieces, being unaware of the possibilities lying latent 

 within them, they are apt to be somewhat disappointed 

 at their small size. This more especially the case 

 when compared with some of the lanky exhibition sorts. 

 But so soon as the above-named type of plant is estab- 

 lished, and has started to grow, it soon begins to assert 

 its superiority. At once it commences to make up for 

 apparently lost time, by breaking out from underneath 

 into innumerable little growths. These quickly increase 

 in size, and before many weeks are over, the small piece 

 is represented by a delightful little carpet of green, some 

 3 to 4 inches across, and above this is a profusion of 

 flowers borne well above the foliage on stiff erect 

 footstalks. 



But what of the exhibition type of plant ? In the 

 majority of instances mere size of flowers is sought after at 

 the expense of everything else. No matter how coarse the 

 growth, how utterly unsuited for garden embellishment, 

 how difficult to grow, or how far from a really Tufted 

 Pansy it may depart, the one redeeming feature of size 

 secures for it a place in the lists of specialists, and recog- 

 nition on the stands at the shows. What is the result ? 

 The competitor who shows first-class blooms of ordinary 

 varieties, however well grown they may be, stands but 



