HERBACEOUS FLOWERS. 



97 



Pansy, or Heartfs-ease — Viola tricolor, — A modern 

 result of horticultural skill and patience. There are now 

 innumerable named and unnamed varieties, whose lead- 

 ing " property" is that they must be circular in general 

 outline, and flat and very smooth at the edge : every 

 notch or unevenness is considered a blemish. Choice 

 varieties are propagated by cuttings taken from the ends 

 of the shoots, in spring, cutting them off just below a 

 joint. Boot-division is also an available mode ; but the 

 shoots must be shortened when too long or straggling. 

 All good Pansies should be thus divided annually, or 

 renewed by cuttings, to prevent them from degeneration. 

 Those operations also serve to transfer the plant to fresh 

 soil, which should be light and rich, well drained, but not 

 dry. Many amateurs find great amusement in raising 

 Pansies from seed saved from the finest flowers. These 

 are grown in shallow pans of leaf-mould enriched with 

 old manure ; and are pricked out, when large enough, to 

 the bed wherein they are to show their master what they 

 are. Pansies like an open, airy, sunshiny spot. In close 

 places, they soon spindle up, straggle about, and pine into 

 good-for-nothingness. 



Pentstemon campanulatus.—A. Mexican plant, with 

 slender flower-stems, half a yard high, or more, which are 

 surmounted by long tubular blossoms, dark-red out- 

 side and whitish within. Is useful as a bedding plant, 

 from the long continuance of its flowering season. Pro- 

 pagate by seeds, cuttings, and parting the stool. Seed- 

 lings vary greatly, both in foliage and colour of their 

 flowers. Must winter in a cold frame, or green-house. 

 P. cyananihus is a hardy perennial, producing long spikes 

 of beautiful blue flowers. P. digitalis is a robust plant, 

 which has sported into numerous varieties. P. Cohosa, 

 from Texas, has large flesh-coloured flowers, striped with 

 carmine. A very handsome plant in the open border, 

 but delicate. P. glandulosus, from North America, is 

 hardy, with large velvety 4ight- violet flowers. It will thus 

 be ^seen that, as a genus, the Pentstemons are very 

 uncertain in respect to hardiness, though they are all 



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