280 POPULAR GARDEN FLOWERS 



receive by these the greatest ornament of all chiefest 

 beautie and most gallant grace, and the recreation of the 

 minde which is taken thereby cannot but be very good 

 and honest ; for they admonish and stir up a man to 

 that which is comelie and honest, for floweres through 

 their beautie, variety of colour, and exquisite form, do 

 bring to a liberall and gentlemanly minde the remem- 

 brance of honestie, comelinesse, and all kindes of 

 vertues." 



If this leaves us a little breathless, we nevertheless 

 perceive the point of it all, and are impressed with a 

 respectful sympathy. 



Propagation of Sweet Violets. Violets for the garden 

 may be raised from seed in the same way as Pansies 

 and Violas. It may not be known to all that the Violet 

 bears its seed on a sort of supernumerary flower, devoid 

 of petals and perfume, which is produced in autumn. 

 Plants with this habit are spoken of by botanists as 

 cleistogamous. But the fine modern varieties of Violets 

 are rarely grown from seed ; they are propagated by 

 runners, cuttings, or division, according to their habit. 

 Some varieties throw out offspring on " runners," like 

 Strawberries, and these can be struck in the ground 

 around the parent if a little good soil is put to them and 

 they are pegged down. Others, more Pansy-like in their 

 habit, produce basal shoots devoid of flowers, and these 

 can be taken off and treated as cuttings. Plants which 

 spread and form a thick rootstock with many fibres are 

 best divided. Whichever method is chosen it is generally 

 practised in spring, for the plants make most of their 

 growth in that season. 



Culture for Winter Bloom. It is to yield winter 

 bloom that Violets are generally grown in gardens, 

 and they play their part generously when well treated. 



