WINDOW GARDENING. 239 



The best location for Pansies is a northwest window, for they delight in shade, 

 and desire to shun " the gairish eye of day," and hide their lovely blossoms 

 from his scorching rays. 



The Sweet Violet. 



These require a rich compost to enable them to bloom luxuriantly, and a cool 

 temperature, say 40 to 45 ; all the fading leaves must be cut off, and if the 

 plant is desired to bloom profusely, the runners should also be cut off as soon as 

 they appear. Water must not settle at the roots. 



They are propagated by divisions of the roots, or usually by cuttings taken in 

 June, and raised in wet sand under glass. 



The dark blue English variety, or the double blue Neapolitan, are most gen- 

 erally cultivated as parlor plants. 



The Czar or Russian Violet has been much admired ; leaves are large and the 

 flowers are borne on very long footstalks, five to six inches in length. The flower 

 is single, but large, and fine ; color of a light blue ; blooms all winter from Sep 

 tember to May, and fills the air with its delicious fragrance. 



King of the Violets. Flowers very double, like a miniature rosette, very fra 

 grant, color of a deep indigo blue, with occasional stripes of white ; flowers 

 borne in profusion. 



Double Blue Neapolitan, the best standard sort we have. A bouquet com- 

 posed of a statuesque camellia, embedded in blue violets, with a fringe of cliver 

 or gypsophila, is the perfection of floral arrangement, combining beautj', fra- 

 grance and grace. 



The Daisy. 



Its botanical name, Bellis, signifies beautiful, pretty. Cultivation has given 

 to it -many petals, and also brighter hues. 



It is frequently used in this country as an edging for beds and borders, but it 

 is a pretty plant for house culture, with its tufts of lovely green leaves crowned 

 with numerous bright pink blossoms. 



It flourishes best in a rich soil, and is propagated by offsets, or division of the 

 roots. For winter flowering, the pot should be kept in the shade, with little 

 water during the hot weather only enough to keep it from drying up till the 

 first of October. Then it will need all the sunshine to make it bloom well, and 

 liquid manure will greatly increase its blossoms. 



The Daisy will bear transplanting, even when in flower, if the sil is kept 

 about the roots. Every spring fresh earth should be given, and the roots should 

 be divided. The Belgian Daisy is best adapted to house culture. 



The Calla. (Eichardia^ 



The Calla JEthiopica is a very attractive plant, its large, broad, glossy, green 

 leaves, and its white, thickly textured, scroll-like blossom making it peculiarly 

 graceful. There is no better plant for the centre of a group of flowers. 



