DAISIES. VIOLETS. PENTSTEMOJSS. 135 



coloured, in V. rosea alba it is white, and in V. ocellata 

 it is white, with a red eye. 



Was there ever a child who did not think it the glory of 

 his or her life to get a root of double daisy, whether to be 

 planted in the juvenile garden, or placed in the nursery 

 window, over the crowded thoroughfares of England's 

 great metropolis ? Let us, therefore, in memory of our 

 early favourites, make room for double daisies white, 

 pink, red, quilled, and hen and chicken. These pretty 

 flowers are more cultivated in other countries than in 

 ours, and M. Van Houtte, of Ghent, has more than 

 twenty varieties in his catalogue. The daisy makes 

 better edging than almost any other plant except box. 

 To make the roots grow strong, and improve the flower, 

 the plants should be taken up and divided every year. 

 They thrive in loam, richly manured, and when they 

 are replanted the ground should be dug and manured. 

 They make good beds in an emergency, and can be re- 

 moved to make room for later bloomers when they go 

 out of flower. Wireworms are so fond of them, that 

 they are said to leave carnations and pinks and other 

 choice flowers to go to them. New sorts are raised 

 from seed. 



Violets can scarcely be too abundant in the flower 

 garden. The common sweet-scented violet is one of 

 the most delightful wild flowers of our country. White 

 violets generally grow in chalky land. The Neapolitan 

 violets flower in winter, and are very sweet. The Eus- 

 sian violets also flower in winter ; in a warm sheltered 

 spot, these will be in bloom and fragrance from autumn 

 to spring. Violets out of doors want to be planted 

 on a bank (they will not bear stagnant damp), in a 

 shady place, in a rich light peaty soil, where they will 

 have moisture. Ashes from the bonfire, or any charred 

 articles, make good manure for them. 



CEnotheras of different varieties, and many other fine 

 perennials, took their place as bedding plants before it 

 came to the turn of perennials to have their chapter. 



The Pentstemons are nice showy flowers for bed or 

 border. Seedlings will flower the year they are raised. 



