THE BOOK OF THE 

 PANSY, VIOLA AND VIOLET 



CHAPTER I 



THE PANSY 

 INTRODUCTION 



THE beautiful flowers of the Pansy, that we are now 

 accustomed to see in nearly every garden worthy of the 

 name, were not evolved in one short space of time. 

 They are the outcome of many years of persistent effort 

 on the part of a comparatively few enthusiasts, who, by 

 dint of infinite patience and labour, have helped to evolve 

 the glorious blooms that are now so largely grown. 



The origin of the Pansy is, to a certain extent, wrapt 

 in obscurity. The earliest detailed information we have 

 of any special work being done with the Pansy, is that 

 of Lord Gambier and his gardener, Thompson by name. 

 These two pioneers conducted their experiments at Iver 

 in Buckinghamshire at the beginning of last century, 

 1813 to wit. 



They first began experimenting with the common 

 Viola tricolor or Heart's-ease, and encouraged by their 

 success in this direction, widened their field of opera- 

 tions by working on other species. We cannot do 

 better than quote Thompson's own words, when writing 

 in the Flower Gardener's Library and Floricultural 

 Cabinet in the year 1841, which, most happily, have 

 been preserved to us. 



" About seven or eight and twenty years ago, Lord 



