SWEET VIOLETS. 279 
“Pinks are mostly. propagated by pipings in slight hot- 
beds or under hand-glasses; and when proper attention is 
given to the due admission of air, they generally succeed. 
Occasionally rare sorts, which are scantily furnished with 
grass, are propagated by layers.’ This flower does not re- 
quire such elaborate composts as some others, but it likes 
fresh light soils, well manured with decayed cow-dung. 
Not more than two years of blooms should be taken from 
the same bed, and it is the practice of most. florists to have 
a new bed every year. The flower-stalks are supported by 
small sticks. As in the carnation, ligatures of bast-mat- 
ting, or collars of card, are sometimes applied to the caly- 
ces of the flowers: but this practice, however it may be 
followed by those who judge according to the technical 
“ criteria of a fine flower,” will scarcely be adopted by any 
who have an eye for natural beauty. 
Sweet Violets, including varieties of Viola odorata and 
the Neapolitan and Russian violets, are very desirable 
ornaments in the spring months: and the fragrance of 
their flowers is delightful when strewed on any kind of 
server in the boudoir. .To have them in perfection, a 
new plantation should be made every year as soon as they 
are done flowering, generally towards the middle or end 
of May, preferring damp or cloudy weather for the opera- 
tion. 
The genus Lobelia may now be regarded as affording a 
group of florists’ flowers. The leading species are L. car- 
dinalis, fulgens, splendens, and syphilitica ; but there are 
several hybrids of merit. The ‘cardinal flower, of a fine 
gsearlet color, has long been a valued plant. It is. propa- 
gated either by seed or by offsets. L. fulgens, of a rich 
crimson, is a still more showy species, forming a magnifi- 
cent plant. A lobelia bed, consisting of these species and 
