98 PANSY, VIOLA AND VIOLET 



wild varieties, the cultivated single-flowered kinds are 

 far more suitable for this method of culture, being 

 hardier and stronger growing than the double varieties. 



PROPAGATION AND PLANTING OUT 



This is best done early in April, when the plants in 

 frames have finished flowering. A number of runners 

 will have emanated from each plant, and to aid these the 

 more quickly to become strongly rooted, some light 

 sandy soil an inch or so deep should be placed amongst 

 the plants. When well rooted, these runners should be 

 separated from the parent plant, when they will be ready 

 to be planted out. 



The old clumps of plants themselves may also be 

 pulled to pieces, if a number of plants are desired. 

 Each clump will divide into about half a dozen pieces, 

 more or less ; each piece should have three crowns, and 

 should be healthy and possess a fair number of roots. 

 They may be put straight into their summer quarters, 

 or planted out in specially prepared beds in the first in- 

 stance until the are quite well established plants. 

 There is, however, little, if any, advantage attaching to 

 the latter course of proceedure. The best plan is to rake 

 over the ground in which the runners and tufts are to 

 be grown, and incorporate at the same time a quantity 

 of sand and leaf-soil. The ground in which they are to 

 planted should be dug two spits deep, and a liberal 

 quantity of well-rotted manure and other ingredients, 

 according to the nature of the soil, dug in. A north 

 aspect should be chosen if possible, or at any rate a 

 cool position, as before advised, or in warmer aspects 

 where plenty of shade may be obtained. A distance of 

 about 15 to 1 8 inches should be left between each 

 plant, and the same space between the rows when 

 planting ; but in the case of the single varieties, which 



