40 PANSY, VIOLA AND VIOLET 



make use of rectangular beds of a suitable length and 

 width, in order that the various processes and operations 

 necessary for the successful culture of large flowers may 

 take place the more easily. 



The most expedient course to follow, therefore, when 

 growing mainly for exhibition, is to prepare beds 

 according to the number required of a convenient length, 

 and about 5 feet in width, leaving a space of about I foot 

 6 inches between each bed to form a path. This will 

 allow free access to the beds for all the necessary atten- 

 tions which must be paid to the plants, if large blooms 

 are wanted by the grower. 



The space recommended for the width of the beds 

 will be found convenient in many ways, such as for 

 allowing the plants to be picked over easily, watering, 

 weeding, hoeing, and for many other purposes, thus 

 avoiding trespassing too much on the beds themselves. 



But, wherever the plants are to be grown, whether 

 for massing, edging, or in beds for exhibition, to obtain 

 the best results the ground must be thoroughly well dug 

 and prepared. 



A trench two spits deep, having first been taken out, 

 the bottom of it should be well forked over. Then 

 should be added a heavy dressing of the manure or other 

 ingredients referred to before, according to the nature of 

 the soil, and upon this should be placed soil to the depth 

 of two spits, a second trench being thus formed which 

 should be treated in the same way until the whole area 

 is covered. In every case the trench should be taken 

 out at least two spits deep, as the Pansy and Viola are 

 deep-rooting subjects, and their roots will soon find the 

 manure, which should make a nice cool root-run for 

 them, and so help them to pass over the trying time in 

 the Summer when the ground above is parched and hot. 



If the subsoil, however, is very poor, or the ground 

 is quite new, the method of digging will have to be 



