98 



BEAUTIFUL FLOWERS 



in a shallow bed of hot sand, or in a few inches of poor, dry earth 

 overlying chalk. In such soils special provision has to be made 

 for it. But it will succeed with very little coaxing in moist, clay 

 soils, even in the extreme south of England. In all cases where 

 there appears to be reasonable ground for doubting success under 

 the natural conditions that prevail, the Pansy lover will be wise 

 to add a liberal dressing of cow manure to the soil, at the same 

 time deepening it as much as it will allow. Further, he should 

 spread a coating of cow manure over the bed when the hot weather 

 comes on. If this is considered unsightly, it can be covered with 



cocoa-nut fibre refuse. Good soakings 

 of soft water, and of liquid manure, 

 will help matters still more. 



The work of the cultivator is easier 

 if he plants fairly early say by the 

 end of March. At that period the 

 nights, if not the days, are always 

 cool ; moreover, heavy showers may 



BEDS FOR SEEDLINGS i j A ii_ i r 11 J 



be expected. A liberal rainfall and 



Raised beds for young plants of very rare or 



delicate kinds, where the soil is coid and CO ol nights between them are a great 



clayey. 



help in getting Pansies well estab- 

 lished. If planting is not done until May or June (and this is 

 often the case), far more attention is needed to get the plants 

 into free growth. They will probably need liberal watering, and 

 shading during the hot sunshine of bright days. 



Pansies are very easy to propagate. To begin with, there 

 is the medium of seeds. Although the plants are perennials, it 

 is quite easy to get them to bloom the same year that they are 

 sown, provided that the seed is put in under glass by mid-March. 

 But it is necessary to remember that seed of the named florist's 

 varieties cannot be relied upon to produce flowers of the same 

 colours as the parents. Seedsmen of repute sell very good strains 

 of Pansy seed, and it may be sown half an inch deep in a pot 



