72 THE BOOK OF GARDENING. 



SO highly of this method of culture some twenty-five years 

 ago, that prizes were offered by it for Pansies grown in 

 flower-pots, and exhibited in April, and a few very beautiful 

 specimens used to be exhibited. The plants must be kept as 

 close as possible to the glass lights, and these should be used 

 only to protect the plants from rough weather. The very earliest 

 slips or cuttings should be used for the pot-plants. One or two 

 plants may be potted into large " sixties," and when they have 

 well filled these small pots with roots, they should be repotted 

 into "thirty-twos" (6in.). A rich soil composed of three 

 parts of good fibrous loam, one part of decayed cow-manure, and 

 one part of leaf-mould, with a little sand added if necessary, must 

 be used. When grown under glass, a species of aphis of a reddish 

 colour attacks them, but it is easily destroyed by fumigating. 



From good strong plants, if the weather be mild, a succession 

 of blossoms may be had from Christmas onwards, and lovely 

 large clean blossoms they are ; but it must not be forgotten that 

 slugs are the desperate enemies of Pansies in frames, and that 

 they eat the blossoms rather than the leaves. They must be 

 watched at night. It is a good plan before arranging the plants 

 in the frames to dust the ground thickly with soot. I find this 

 even more effectual than quicklime. The latter is no use after 

 it has been wet : it will destroy the pests when first applied ; 

 but soot retains its effect for a long period, and is more likely 

 to keep the voracious pests at bay. 



Varieties. — The following is a list of the best Fancy Pansies. 

 They are all of large size, good form, and of very rich and 

 varied colours. There are, of course, many equally good, but 

 new varieties are being added yearly, and those who would 

 purchase a collection can easily obtain a catalogue from 

 a trade grower, and therein will be found all the best varieties 

 up to date, and described according to their colours : Agnes 

 Mabel, Alexander Smith, Andrew Frater, Bernard Doulton, C. B. 

 Renshaw, Cleopatra, Colonel M. R. G. Buchanan, Emmeline, 

 George Stuart, Ladas, Marmion, Mrs. C. Lambie, Mrs. D. John- 

 stone, Mrs. R. G. Moir, Mrs. William Lockwood, Mysie Paul, 

 Petunia, Stephanie, Tam worth Herald, Tam worth Yellow, Tom 

 Walters, W. J. Pye, W. H. Clarke, and William Sydenham. 



The Viola, or Tufted Pansy ( Viola coriiuta). 



The beautiful garden-plants cultivated under the name of 

 Violas may be said to be quite modern. They had their origin 



