HEARTSEASE. 



242 



HEARTSEASE. 



3 or 4 inches above the surrounding ground, 

 and about 6 inches of the top soil should 

 be removed, and replaced by a compost 

 of three parts of good rotton turf, two 

 parts of leaf mould, and one part of good 

 rough sand, white or grey red sand should 

 never be used, as it contains iron, which is, 

 in some cases, injurious to vegetable life. 

 The compost should be turned over at 

 least half-a-dozen times, and well mixed 

 before it is used. Large lumps should be 

 broken, but the soil should not be* made 

 too fine, as when in this condition it is apt 

 to become pasty if the weather be wet. It 

 is better not to put the compost on the bed 

 until spring, or a short time before the 

 plants are set out. 



Propagation by Seeds. Seed that is in- 

 tended for sowing should be gathered from 

 the best flowers only that is to say, flowers 

 which are conspicuous for form, substance 

 of petals, size, and good decided colours. 

 It should be gathered just before it is ripe, 

 otherwise the pods burst and the seed is 

 lost, for in hot weather the pods burst 

 suddenly, and the seed is scattered in all 

 directions. When gathered, it should be 

 put into envelopes, sealed down, and put 

 in the sun to ripen fully. When ripe, sow 

 at once if wanted for spring blooming, but 

 for summer and autumn flowering sow in 

 April. Seed intended for a spring display 

 of flowers should be sown in boxes, using 

 good light soil ; the same as that recom- 

 mended above for plants will do very well. 

 If the soil is damp at the time of sowing, 

 and the boxes are kept in a shady place, no 

 watering will be required until the seedlings 

 make their appearance above ground ; if 

 the soil be dry, water through a fine rose 

 at the time of sowing. As frosty weather 

 approaches the boxes should be placed in 

 a cold frame. In the beginning of April 

 transplant into beds. 



Propagation by Cuttings, <5rV. Pansies 

 lequire little attention during the autumn 



months. Indeed, those not intended for 

 propagation may be dug up as soon as 

 flowering is over. The choicer varieties 

 must be taken care of in order that their 

 roots may be divided or cuttings taken 

 from them in April or May, for it is only 

 by such annual renewal that degeneration 

 can be prevented. Propagation by cuttings 

 may take place any time from April to the 

 end of October, although August and Sep- 

 tember are the best months for the work. 

 The young shoots that spring from the 

 base of the plant make the best cuttings : 

 those that have flowered have generally 

 hollow stems ; these do not root so freely, 

 and should not be used unless the variety 

 is extra good or scarce. Cuttings should 

 be taken off just below a joint, with a 

 sharp knife. 



Soil for Cuttings. The soil intended for 

 cuttings should be fine, and a good supply 

 of rough sand thoroughly mixed with 

 it. Sand is absolutely necessary, as few 

 will strike root without it. The pro- 

 pagator will do well to place some sandy 

 soil round the base of the plants, and also 

 to cover with it all naked stems that are 

 pegged down : the young shoots will root 

 into it, and save the time and trouble of 

 striking after they are separated from the 

 plants. No cuttings of unhealthy plants 

 should be put in, as these seldom do any 

 good. The hardier kinds can be wintered 

 successfully in the open, at the back of a 

 north wall, or any shady nook in the gar- 

 den, remembering never to put any under 

 trees, as the drips will surely rot them. 

 The best kinds should be wintered in cold 

 frames, each variety being labelled as it 

 is set. 



Culture in Pots. Plants intended to be 

 grown in pots should be struck from cuttings 

 in July or August. When rooted, plant in 

 4-inch pots with a few crocks at the bottom, 

 using the same kind of soil as for plants in 

 the beds, then place in a cold frame, plung- 



