46 EYE SPY 



ties of almost any conceivable color, under culti- 

 vation and careful selection. 



Another striking exception, and one which 

 would have puzzled De Candolle for its color 

 classification, is the columbine. One common 

 species of the Eastern United States, Aquilegia 

 canadensis, is of a pure deep scarlet color, as every 

 country boy knows. If we seek for our colum- 

 bines in the far West we shall miss this familiar 

 type, and find it replaced by another species, A. 

 chrysantha, of a fine clear yellow, or perhaps by 

 its near relative, the A. ccerulea, with its sky-blue 

 corolla, a common species in the region of the 

 Rocky Mountains. Columbines, red, yellow, and 

 blue, are thus to be found in a state of nature, 

 and we thus find other cultivated forms which ex- 

 tend from a pure white through all shades of 

 purple. 



The pansy, that protean offspring from lowly 

 "johnny -jumper," occasionally comes very near 

 embracing the entire gamut of color to which its 

 name, Viola tricolor', would seem to entitle it. 

 Blue pansies and yellow pansies we certainly have, 

 but the ruddiest of its rich wine tints, when laid 

 beside the red, red rose, at once confesses its pur- 

 ple, the remnant of blue which it cannot absolutely 

 eliminate. 



The blue rose, blue tulip, blue dahlia, and blue 

 carnation have as yet refused to respond to the 



