616 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



fectly round, so that, if laid upon a circle, they would exactly fit the whole 

 circumference. In flowers of this class, the border color should be pure 

 and distinct, and go entirely round the plant. In this respect this flower 

 is a little imperfect. The great trouble in our country is that it is too hot 

 and dry. The pansy can only be brought to perfection here by artificial 

 means, except in the early spring. If a cool place in the garden is selected, 

 pansies can be grown with a good deal of perfection; that is, if good seed 

 is obtained. Good seed is hard to be got. That usually sold at the stores 

 will give only some 15 per cent of good, flowers. He spoke somewhat 

 doubtingly, as latterly they gave him good seeds. With good seed there 

 was little doubt that they would yield 75 per cent'. If we desire to pro- 

 pagate it, the best way is by cuttings. The amateur will tell you this is 

 difficult, and can be done best by the florist, who is sm-rounded with all the 

 appliances necessary. Now this is not exactly so; for here is a cutting, 

 and if always cut in this way, there will generally be good plants. (Mr. 

 Mead here took a slip and cut it in the proper way.) After this is done, 

 if the plant is placed in a cool, shady part of the garden in the month of 

 September, and covered with a newspaper, or if the plant is put into a box 

 with some sand and a glass placed over it, it will generally take root. Mr. 

 Buchanan would say that forty-nine out of fifty would be raised, with all 

 his facilities for propagating this plant; in fact, it is the only way to per- 

 petuate a choice kind, for we cannot depend upon the seed to reproduce it. 

 It is a great satisfaction to a person to be able to say that he raised such a 

 plant from a cutting, and it greatly enhances his pleasure; but, notwith- 

 standing this pleasure, it is cheaper to buy the plants from the florist. For 

 about twenty-five cents we can buy such fine plants as we have here. The 

 pansy is a free-blooming plant, and comes early into flower. I have seen 

 flowers on them before tlie leaves had attained the size of a ten-cent piece. 

 This flower is not only intrinsically beautiful, but it is prized by the ladies 

 quite as much as the Pink is by the men. 



The large bouquet which we have here he supposed was made up in 

 accordance with a suggestion that he made at a previous meeting. He 

 took occasion then to say that our professional men made a great mistake 

 in the formation of their bouquets; they are simply an arrangement of 

 color, without form or good taste. He well remembered, many years ago, 

 being on a committee with the late A. J. Downing and some ladies, at the 

 Lyceum of Natural History, where an occasional exhibition was held. On 

 this occasion, Mr. Downing said he did not like the style in which the bou- 

 quets were put up, and the ladies entirely agreed with him; but one of the 

 ladies picked out a bouqu(!t which she said was well arranged. Mr. Down- 

 ing looked at it, and said tliat it was so; and turning to another placed at 

 the other end of the table, said : " Here is a mate to it. I wonder if it 

 was put up by the same person." But as there was noname to either of 

 them, we could not tell; we therefore gave to those two simple bouquets 

 the first prize. But he had not since seen any done up in that way. He 

 had ever since declared war upon them. What have those innocent flowers 

 done that they should be bound together like criminals ? Which is the 

 most beautiful, this or that? (holding up examples of each.) He would 

 always condemn this strait-jacket mode. If any exhibition is got up as 



