The Pansy or Heartsease. 405 



dark, light, fringed, or blotched, as also the two petals im- 

 mediately mider them ; that is, each pair should be uniform 

 in shape and color. In regard to size of the flower, the larger 

 the better, provided it be not coarse or thin in texture, but un- 

 less it is at least an inch and a half across, it is under size and 

 is not deemed worthy of exhibition ; and as to shape or out- 

 line, as previously stated, it should be as nearly circular as 

 possible. 



As to the growing and management of the pansy, it will have 

 been observed that it never blooms so well as when the plant 

 is rather small and well rooted, or when it first comes into 

 bloom ; for as the plant grows larger, and the shoots longer, 

 the blooms, though more abundant, become smaller, and if 

 left to itself, it will degenerate rapidly ; the beds are therefore 

 to be kept up by a constant succession of good seedlings or 

 cuttings ; the latter are easily struck under a hand glass, and 

 the side shoots are preferable for this purpose. This operation 

 may be performed at nearly all seasons, and as old roots are 

 thrown out of the beds, new plants must be in a sufficient 

 state of forwardness to take their places. A bed of pansies 

 may be formed in October from young plants or cuttings plant- 

 ed or struck during the summer, and left out during the win- 

 ter, if they are in some measure protected from its severity by 

 a covering of straw, leaves, or dry garden rubbish ; or they 

 may be propagated in pots and turned out early in spring, and 

 a bed formed at once. The plants should, however, be some- 

 what hardened in covered frames for the purpose, and should 

 the season prove to be backward and cold, they will need pro- 

 tection, especially during the nights, for some weeks. Should 

 the season, however, be warm and early flowers be produced, 

 they should be removed and not be allowed to complete their 

 bloom until later in the season, or until they are wanted for a 

 brilliant appearance in the garden or for exhibition ; for the 

 early flowers are generally injured and dwarfed by the cold, 

 and the seed pods, if allowed to swell, distress and injure the 

 plants materially. If due care is taken to remove these when 

 the season arrives for the blooming of the flower, the beds 

 may be kept in good condition and the flowers of good size for a 

 long time ; where this, however, has been neglected, and the 

 shoots have become elongated and the flowers small, we have 



