THE PANSY. 103 



four inches. If other comparisons are made between what 

 may be called pansy and non-pansy districts, it will be 

 found that relative humidity goes far to explain the differ- 

 ence. Some people find delight in making soft showers 

 by means of the water-engine in the flower garden. Some 

 plants are benefited thereby and some are not. The roses 

 and the pansies may all the summer long be gratified with 

 a morning and evening shower, to their advantage ; the 

 geraniums, petunias, mesembryanthemums, and portulaeas 

 will do very well without it. 



The routine cultivation of the pansy is quite simple, 

 although in matters of detail there is much to be thought 

 of in connection with the higher culture of the flower. In 

 any and every case it is of the first importance to be for 

 ever producing young plants. The easiest way to do it is 

 to sow seed in pans filled with light rich soil, and keep the 

 pans in a cold frame until the seed has started. Pansy 

 seed may be sown at any time except in the depth of 

 winter, and the very best time is immediately on its 

 becoming fully ripe. The named varieties are grown from 

 cuttings, and those may be easily struck in spring and 

 summer in a cold frame, but there is" one golden rule to be 

 observed to insure success. The cuttings must be made 

 from young shoots; the old shoots will strike, but they 

 never make fine plants. To obtain a stock very easily for 

 filling a bed, it is sufficient to divide the old plants into 

 as many pieces as possible, taking care that each piece 

 has a few roots. But this is a slovenly way j it is better 

 to sow seeds or strike proper cuttings. However, the 

 dividing process in careful hands answers fairly well, and 

 if carried out during moist, kindly weather gives but little 

 trouble, and every scrap will soon make a plant. 



