THE VALUE OF WHITE FLOWERS 355 



ties, such as asters, verbenas, Sweet-William, pansies, 

 or any flower in short that has a white variety, it is 

 always safe to buy a single packet of the latter, be- 

 cause I have often noticed that the usual mixtures, for 

 some reason, are generally shy not only of the white 

 but often of the very lightest tints as well. 



In selecting asters the average woman gardener 

 may not be prepared to buy the eight or ten different 

 types that please her fancy in as many separate colours ; 

 a mixture of each must suffice, but a packet of white 

 of each type should be added if the best results are 

 to be achieved. 



The same applies to sweet peas when planted in 

 mixture; at least six ounces of either pure white or 

 very light, and therefore quasi- neutral tints harmo- 

 nizing with all darker colours, should be added. For 

 it is hi the lighter tints of this flower that its butterfly 

 characteristics are developed. Keats had not the 

 heavy deep-hued or striped varieties in mind when 

 he wrote of 



"... Sweet Peas on tiptoe for a flight, 

 With wings of gentle flush : o'er delicate white, 

 And taper fingers catching at all things 

 To bind them all about with tiny rings." 



If you examine carefully the "flats" of pansies 

 growing from mixed seed and sold in the market-places 



