124 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



May, 



On the Culture of the Pansy or 

 Heart's-Ease. 



The results which attend the growing of 

 this universal favorite vary much owing to 

 the differing methods of culture brought 

 to apply. The object of the present article is 

 to consider some of the essential features in 

 Pansy management, with a view to the rais 

 ing of fine flowers over a longer season than 

 is usually realized by growers, and also for 

 the effective arranging of the beds. 



Presuming that the spring season finds a 

 stock of good plants available, such as were 

 grown from the choicest seeds, by the 

 methods heretofore described 

 in our columns, the matter of 

 soil and situations for the 

 plants first deserve attention. 



The Pansy delights in a soil 

 neither very wet nor yet dry 

 in its character. A soil light, 

 loamy and well drained, in 

 which there has been incor- 

 porated enough old manure, 

 rotted hops, leaf-mold, or 

 other decayed organic matter, 

 to render it very rich, hence 

 in a marked degree retentive 

 of moisture, suits better than 

 any other. If the loam con- 

 sists In good part of decayed 

 turf , its value will be increased. 



As for situation the Pansy 

 may be grown to flower 

 throughout the greater part of 

 the growing season in almost any spot,provid- 

 ed it be in some degree sheltered from the 

 mid day sun. A north or northeast exposure 

 suits it capitally if it be sheltered, a.s sug- 

 gested, by tall trees or buildings, so that it 

 may get the sun in the earlier or later parts 

 of the day. Too much shade is objection- 

 able, through causing a lank, weak growth 

 that is not conducive to long continued 

 bloom. Such growth is liable also to be 

 troubled by Green-fly. 



Beds may be made on the lawn, or the 

 plants may be set in the border or the lower 

 portions of a rock garden. Indeed it should 

 be said that this plant, of supposed Alpine 

 origin, enjoys the close pro.vimity of stones 

 and rocks, which impart that coolness to the 

 soil so congenial to its roots. If the Pansy 

 bed was to be made narrow and then was 

 edged by a line of stones set into the soil to 

 project but a few inches above the surface, 

 it would all the better suit the plants. To 

 plant vases, and the like with this flower, 

 should be looked upon as a short-lived 

 course of culture, unless the very closest at- 

 tention to watering be at all times given. 



In choosing plants for bedding, those that 

 combine fine flowers in profusion, with a 

 short stemmed stocky habit, presenting a 

 round pleasing bush, with the blossoms a 

 little above the foliage are to be preferred. 

 In certain instances the more beautiful and 

 fantastic flowers do not appear on shapely 

 growing plants, hence some such must be 

 tolerated. The aim should be to improve 

 the growth of this style by crossing the flow- 

 ers with those from shapely types, trusting 

 for a better habit of growth in the progeny. 



In bedding the Pansy we prefer to group 

 the different colors and shades somewhat, 

 rather than to mix them indiscriminately. 

 For example, in planting a long narrow bed 

 it has been our method to start at one end 

 say with the blacks, then bringing those a 

 little lighter next, then clarets, browns, yel- 



lows, blues, lavenders, whites, in succession, 

 with perhaps a touch of black at the other 

 end also. "We do not keep the margin of each 

 color clearly defined but mingle them with 

 the next color to some extent. 



Starting with the right situation, soil and 

 quality of plants, the course necessary to 

 have Pansies bloom handsomely all through 

 the season is: First, to thin out the beds some- 

 what for preventing harmful over-bearing; 

 second, to pick as soon as they begin to fade, 

 all flowers that come forth, not allowing any 

 to seed; third, to keep the surface lightly 

 but well stirred between the plants; fourth. 



PLANT OF A LARGE-FLOWERING SHOWY PANSY. 



water the beds once a week of an evening 

 with diluted liquid manure, and fifth, in 

 case of drought, give a thorough soaking 

 with water at intervals of two weeks. 



other things? 



Paternity In Fruits. 

 A. J. CAY WOOD, TJLSTER CO., N. Y. 



Experience has proved any proportion of 

 the foreign Grape to be too delicate for this 

 changeable climate, and its use should be 

 discouraged, or an unreliable class of Grapes 

 will be the result. During some centuries 

 there have been several great strides upwards 

 from the wild varieties; among these are the 

 Delaware, Catawlia, Isabella. Clinton and 

 a few others, but these movements are rather 

 slow for the energy of this age. 



In crossing our native Grapes, either with 

 single or double pollen, every desired result 

 is marred by doubt. In using single pollen 

 it may impregnate and it may not. It may 

 not from being performed too early, too late, 

 too indelicately, want of congenially, and 

 many other causes. There are undoubtedly 

 many actual crosses that show no traces of 

 paternity, but they cannot be spoken of as 

 crosses, as it is all guess work, and such a 

 record would be faulty. Who for instance 

 is prepared to believe the light skinned Em- 

 pire State to be a seedling of those two sable 

 denizens of the woods, Hartford and Clinton, 

 if they think there is anything in the rule of 

 like begetting like, and j'et who can contro- 

 vert the claims of the cross? Certain 

 qualities of Hartford and Clinton may be 

 incorporated in the new organization. 



Should any of these seedlings that show 

 no paternity be even more valuable than the 

 parent, it is not proof that the pollen applied 

 was eflicacious; they may have been pollen- 

 ized by natural agencies — before the effort 

 was made. 



Maternal characteristics are usually trans- 

 mitted, but if the paternal is not convinc- 

 ingly visible the fact of a cross must rest in 



doubt. It is well known that all of the num- 

 erous seeds in a Strawberry and other fruit 

 are as independent of each other as are Peach, 

 Plum, Cherry or other single seeded fruits, 

 which proves an endless variety of pollen 

 being dispensed over each waiting flower; 

 each seed produces a different kind. Nearly 

 all . of our best fruits have come to us with- 

 out the help of man. and who can say 

 whether they were fertilized by the anthers 

 of their own stamens, or the pollen was 

 carried there by wind or insects from other 

 sources. The supposition that we have a 

 cross, because the pollen was applied, must 

 not be indulged in. Provable 

 crosses of our native Grapes 

 are very few; of the Vinifera 

 there are plenty, as it seems 

 to govern the qualities of the 

 native fruit, and also trans- 

 mits the weakness of the vine. 

 When we desire a cross of 

 any two varieties, we use sin- 

 gle pollen of course, and take 

 the chances as to failure or 

 success, but in the use of 

 mixed pollen of the best varie- 

 ties we make Nature's plan 

 available slightly, which 

 offers in every open flowerend- 

 less varieties of pollen; it takes 

 the congenial, throws off the 

 other as so much dust. 



If we have gained a point 

 why not progress as in all 

 Why go back to first princi- 

 ples and take on a double dose of fox and 

 acridity? We can breed out these two wild 

 traits but can hardly expect to free ourselves 

 from contagion, rot, mildew, etc. Those 

 hardy varieties that have had the aborginal 

 impurities nearly bred out should be sent 

 forward to early and still greater achieve- 

 ments, although at the expense of quality. 

 Near the parallel of 43 we must go back 

 for hardiness, and Professor Budd deserves 

 much from the people of that section for 

 his untiring efforts in that line. 



No one can master the hidden laws which 

 make varieties in crossing fruits. We c.in 

 apply the pollen and then wait and see what 

 Nature gives us One says: "My seedling 

 is a cross of so and so;" another, of "this 

 and that j " another of something else, and 

 not one of them resembling anything before 

 known. If they would say they applied 

 pollen of certain varieties, and stop there, 

 and let the record be made out by whoever 

 wishes to it would do away with suspicions 

 of self interest, as any one can see as far into 

 a blacksmith's anvil as he who hammers it. 



The manipulation of the shears, brush and 

 pollen can be performed by a child ten years 

 of age after a little teaching; this is the 

 smallest part of the work. Many varieties 

 always show a retrograding tendency; a few 

 of our best kinds are of this class. We have 

 found it important to use those varieties the 

 seedlings of which are on the advance, dis- 

 carding all others. This requires time and 

 patience, and as there is little, if any pecu- 

 niary profit in this enterprise, it becomes a 

 work of love, pride or a hobby, and if the 

 good things of the world are increased by 

 any motive the benefits to posterity will be 

 the same The numbers who have recently 

 turned their attention to the elevation of the 

 standard of our horticulture by these methods 

 is encouraging; and the good aimed at will 

 be much sooner realized by united effort. 



