6o PANSY, VIOLA AND VIOLET 



away from this stereotyped and inartistic method of 

 showing these beautiful flowers. Instead of making 

 Classes for " sprays " of Pansies or Violas or a number 

 of blooms grotesquely arranged on trays, they not 

 infrequently make use of the term " bunches " instead 

 of " sprays." A fillip is thus given to the man who, 

 unable or unwilling to make a spray, is only too pleased 

 to be able to set up this type of flower in a natural and 

 artistic manner. 



These bunches (the number of the flowers to be used 

 generally being specified) may be set up in vases with 

 a wide mouth or in shallow bowls. The flowers should 

 be arranged in the bowls, and foliage worked in separ- 

 ately ; but by far the better plan, when exhibiting in 

 this way, is to cut off the whole shoot with flowers and 

 buds. In this form they are not only more easy to 

 arrange, but look better and last longer. 



Pansies and Violas exhibited in this way produce a 

 much more pleasing and natural effect, and at the same 

 time create a much greater interest among the general 

 public than when exhibited in the more formal spray. 



Another capital way in which to show blooms to 

 their best advantage, when the exhibitor is allowed to 

 put them up in any way he fancies, is to make use of 

 shallow earthenware or metal pans about 8 to lo inches 

 in diameter and about 2 J inches to 3 inches deep. These 

 should be painted an olive green colour and be filled with 

 silver sand, and the latter thoroughly saturated with 

 water. Foliage should then be cut and placed in the 

 wet sand. The pans are then ready for the flowers, 

 which should be placed in firmly, endeavouring to make 

 the ends of the stalks touch the bottom of the pan. In 

 this way the flowers obtain as much moisture as possible, 

 and, therefore, of course, keep their freshness much 

 longer. 



