VARIETY IN SWEET VIOLETS 91 



months, and mix with this some well-rotted leaf -mould, a 

 little rough silver sand, and some dry cow-manure, first 

 rubbing the manure through a half-inch meshed sieve. 



Amateurs in country districts are recommended to try 

 a few Violets by this system of culture, and those who 

 succeed in getting strong, floriferous plants in winter and 

 early spring will be very likely to regard it as one of the 

 most pleasant incidents in their horticultural experience. 

 We will now consider a few of the varieties. 



VARIETY IN SWEET VIOLETS 



In common with most garden plants, the Sweet Violet 

 has responded very liberally to man's desire for variety. 

 Under cultivation the modest little flower has given forth 

 variation after variation, and cultivators appear to have 

 selected their sorts for two qualities, colour and size. The 

 number of shades has been materially increased, for whilst 

 some varieties are of the deepest purple conceivable, 

 others are quite of a Violet tint, some are blue and others 

 white, and one or two approach to a shade of pink. In 

 size, the development has been so considerable that there 

 is now what is termed the " Pansy " strain, embracing such 

 varieties as California, Princess Beatrice, and Princess of 

 Wales. The flowers of the two latter varieties, more 

 especially, are like small flowered Pansies, and their attrac- 



