Notes and Gleanings. 1 1 5 



Growing Pansies in Pots. — This beautiful flower is so easy to grow in 

 pots, that I cannot help wondering why more of our amateurs do not take them 

 in hand. Without doubt, they would be rewarded with a delightful display of 

 floral beauty in the spring. The pansy is not only superior in point of beauty 

 to many plants that are more popular, but far less trouble is necessary in pre- 

 serving it through the winter if a cold frame is the only structure the amateur 

 has to keep his plants in. I will detail my way of dealing with these plants, and 

 by which I have been very successful in growing them ; and I feel assured, that, 

 if the rules that I shall lay down are strictly observed, it will be the grower's 

 own fault if he does not succeed to his satisfaction. The first thing to be 

 thought about is getting a stock of the best varieties. I will add a list of some 

 of the best of my stock as a guide to the beginner in these matters. As I said 

 before, the first thing to be thought about is getting a stock. There are several 

 ways of managing this. The proper way is to take as much money in your hand 

 as you can afford, and go to a respectable nursery-man, and either leave the 

 selection in his hands, or hand in the list which will be found at the foot of these 

 remarks. For my own part, if I did not want any particular kind, I would 

 sooner leave the selection in the hands of the nursery-man : generally speaking, 

 plants of every description can be bought much cheaper this way than by pick- 

 ing them out by the purchaser. It often happens, that, when a certain list is sent 

 in, several of the varieties named therein may be sold out, or a failure may have 

 happened in propagating them : the consequence of this is, the nursery-man has 

 to go to an immense amount of trouble and expense to make up the list, and, 

 consequently, is unable to make any reduction from the catalogue price. Nine 

 or ten shillings per dozen will purchase a good selection at a nursery in which 

 they are made a speciality. Another good way — good because cheap — is to 

 go to a friend, and beg a few cuttings of the best of his stock. 



Supposing the latter method is adopted, I will say a few words upon this 

 branch of the subject. Besides, it is desirable to know how to propagate these 

 plants ; for it will be necessary to strike a fresh stock every year ; for the young 

 plants are more vigorous, and the flowers are finer, than those from old plants. 

 It is getting rather late to strike plants intended for pots to bloom next spring ; 

 but, if no time is lost, good plants can be grown even now. As a rule, it is best 

 to begin some time in June, and have the whole of the cuttings by the end of 

 that month. I shall suppose that you have a cold frame, or a hand-light that 

 can be spared. Well, make a bed about nine inches in thickness in either of 

 these for the purpose of receiving the cuttings. It should be composed of about 

 an equal proportion of fibrous loam and leaf-mould, and a good sprinkling of 

 sand mixed therewith, and a layer of the latter over the surface. Silver sand is 

 certainly the best ; but good clean river sand, free from mud, will do very well. 

 After the bed is ready, and has had a fair watering to settle the soil, dibble the 

 cuttings in rows three inches apart, and about one inch from each other in the 

 rows. This done, give the bed another sprinkle through a fine rose, and shut 

 up, shading the cuttings in bright weather ; attend to them with water when 

 necessary, and give air as soon as they are rooted; finally removing the lights 

 altogether a few days before planting out into a bed in the open air, which must 



