PANSIES, VIOLAS, SWEET VIOLETS 273 



for parents in future crosses that come nearest to his 

 ideal, and by taking advantage of any natural variation, 

 he gets gradually nearer to the goal. 



It would be as difficult to say when the work of im- 

 proving the Pansy began, as to trace the stages by which 

 it advanced towards the form of the best type which we 

 have at the present day ; but that the way has been a long 

 one may be judged by comparing the wild Pansy with a 

 modern Scotch prize flower. The blooms which the 

 specialists stage are nearly three inches across, the out- 

 line is perfect, the petals are thick and substantial, the 

 colour markings are exquisite. Perhaps the amateur 

 who only knows the Pansy as a garden flower is a little 

 startled when he first sees a stand of prize flowers at a 

 show. He may be " doing Scotland," and, seeing an 

 announcement of a big flower show in Edinburgh or 

 elsewhere, and recalling the high reputation of Scotch 

 gardeners, may decide to drop in and see what the 

 Scotchmen can really do. Whatever the latter is or 

 is not capable of in other directions, he can certainly 

 grow Pansies. The flowers will be a revelation to the 

 novice, who will hardly know them at the first glance. 

 However, a closer inspection will convince him that the 

 flowers really are Pansies, for though much larger, 

 rounder, thicker, and more beautifully coloured than 

 any Pansies that he has ever seen before, they will have 

 the same bright, winning, affectionate faces. 



There may be two different types of flower at the 

 show, one having much smaller flowers and more sedate 

 colours than the other. These comparatively small 

 flowers (which, however, will be larger than the ordinary 

 garden Pansies) may have one colour only, or they may 

 have a dark central blotch and an outer band of the 

 same colour on a white or yellow ground. These are 



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