168 The Violet. 



the ancients, is very widely diffused over the Eastern Com" 

 nent, being found in the British Islands, all over Europe a A 

 extending even through Asia to China and Japan, and to som 

 degree naturalized in America. The most highly prized va ' 

 eties are the Russian and the Neapolitan. The latter are pal 

 blue, and very fragrant, and may be made to flower during th 

 whole winter. The other species, or Pansy, also receives th 

 attention of florists, and is made to produce very large and 

 beautiful flowers. We are again indebted to Mr. Eley for his 

 method of cultivating this plant. The seed, he says, should be 

 sown in spring, or as soon as it is gathered from the plant in 

 summer. In April or May, make the bed in which it is intended 

 to sow the seed. It should be of rich soil, and in a shady sit- 

 uation. Lay just as much soil over the seed as will cover it 

 and gently pat it down, and, if the weather is dry, water the 

 bed a little. In ten days or a fortnight the plants will be up 

 and when they are an inch or two high, transplant them with 

 little balls of earth at their roots, into beds, placing them in 

 rows four inches apart every way ; and as this is the bed in 

 which they are intended to flower, always select a moist situ- 

 ation, and keep them free from weeds. If any of the plants 

 have remarkably fine flowers, they may be increased by layers 

 or by dividing the roots. Layering should be done in May or 

 September, and is performed by making a slight incision in the 

 stem at a joint, and pegging it down about an inch in the soil. 

 They can be taken up and divided at any time in Summer, 

 except in hot, dry weather, and a moist, cloudy day should be 

 chosen for the- purpose. To ensure a fine show, it is necessary 

 to renew the plants by seed, layering, or dividing the roots 

 every year, as old plants invariably produce small flowers. 



The species of which we have given a portrait is one which 

 every one will recognise as our most common blue Violet. In 

 almost every moist, grassy field, it is one of the earliest sprint 

 flowers. In New England we have at least twelve well dis- 

 tinguished species, several of which are worthy of mention. 

 One, particularly distinct from all others, is the Pedate Violet, 

 V. pcdata. Contrary to the usual habit of the genus, it grows 

 in dry, sandy soils. Its flowers are very large, and of a pale 

 blue color, and its root stalk is very curious, appearing as if 



