286 Violets. 



The wild white violets are V. blanda, lanceolata, 2inA primulcefo/ia. They 

 are common in damp soils, and, though not showy, are very pretty. V. blanda 

 is slightly fragrant : as a rule, however, our wild violets are without per- 

 fume. 



The common yellow violet is Viola pubescens : the flowers are yellow, 

 bearded, veined with purple. 



All these are worthy of a place in the garden if they are not found wild 

 in the vicinity. They readily domesticate themselves, and increase freely 

 from seed, sometimes so rapidly as to become weeds. 



The species with leafy stems, which flower all summer, are much more 

 desirable for the garden. 



Of these we may mention V. canina var. sylvestris ( V. Afuhlenbergii), 

 with light-blue flowers, and V. Canadensis, with white and blue flowers. 

 Both are common in rich woods and damp localities, and thrive when trans- 

 planted to the garden. There are many other native violets, some of rare 

 occurrence : all are pretty, and do well in cultivation. 



A fact not generally known, is, that violets, after the spring, often produce 

 flowers without petals all summer; and these apetalous flowers produce seed 

 more freely than the others. The well-known pansy, heart's-ease, lady's 

 delight, is a violet ( V tricolor in its varieties), and has, in some places, es- 

 caped from cultivation, and become naturalized. 



Of European violets, there are two which have recently attracted some 

 notice in the horticultural world ; one of these, V. cornuta, a native of the 

 Pyrenees, is a charming plant, and hardy enough to stand a New-England 

 winter. The foliage is neat and small, light green ; and the flowers are 

 light mauve, large, and pleasantly fragrant. Almost any florist can furnish 

 plants. 



The other, V. lufca, has large, clear-yellow flowers, and, when in bloom, 

 is very showy. It probably is not hardy enough to endure our winters. 



Both of these are easily propagated by seed, cuttings, or division. 



When we consider that there are at present more than a hundred known 

 species of violets, it will at once be seen how little justice can be done to 

 our subject in an article necessarily confined to a few pages. We would, 

 however, in conclusion, say to all. Grow inolcts. No flower will give you 

 so much pleasure with so little carej and there is no reason why any 



