154 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



The progeny of ' Violetta ' has also enriched our gardens with another 

 beautiful and distinct type of the Viola. With pollen from ' Violetta ' 

 Dr. Stuart crossed a well-known white-rayed self, and this yielded 

 ' Sylvia,' a variety which for a time was more largely grown than any 

 Viola then in cultivation. This is a most interesting plant, bearing in 

 the greatest profusion lovely creamy-white rayless blossoms. In this 

 instance also, the habit is ideal and the constitution robust. This variety 

 was the pioneer of a race of plants that are better able to withstand the 

 strain upon their resources in the south, where, during periods of hot and 

 dry weather, other less hardy strains not infrequently fail. ' Sylvia ' has 

 been one of the parents of quite a lot of really good things, and, although 

 difficult to trace because of the haphazard raising of new varieties by 

 some growers, this variety, both in respect to its blossoms and habit, has 

 since been met with on many occasions. It perpetuates itself by seed 

 propagation more than most others. I have seen quite a large area of 

 seedlings from 1 Sylvia ' in which many of the plants were identical with 

 the parent variety, and also a large number so closely resembling it that 

 only the keenest enthusiast could distinguish the difference. 



Subsequent to the introduction of ' Sylvia ' Dr. Stuart, by taking pollen 

 from rayless flowers and crossing ' Violetta ' with it, succeeded in raising 

 many new and choice kinds. Some of the more noteworthy are ' Blue 

 Gown,' mauve blue ; ' Primrose Dame,' primrose ; 1 Florizel,' lilac blush ; 

 ' Rosea pallida,' a shade of very pale rose ; ' Christiana,' white, flushed yellow 

 on lower petal; ' Ethereal,' and others. 'Blue Gown' was the beginning 

 of better things in the way of flowers of a blue colour. This plant is tufted 

 and blossoms in profusion. As soon as the plants become established, 

 no matter how small, they begin to flower at once, and flower continuously 

 until the late autumn. This is typical of the whole of Dr. Stuart's 

 varieties, and speaks volumes for their vitality and adaptability for gardens 

 in the south. It will be noticed that the colours of the varieties just 

 enumerated are new and distinct, and in consequence were very heartily 

 welcomed. 



Owing to their somewhat soft tones of colour, there were writers 

 ungenerous enough to write in terms anything but complimentary to 

 them in this respect. It is not too much to say that they marked an 

 epoch in the history of the Viola, as subsequent years will prove. Plants 

 of the ' Sylvia ' type in many respects are similar to those of the ' Violetta ' 

 strain, those of the former, however, being more vigorous in growth. In 

 the spring, when new beds and borders are planted with the two types 

 just referred to, very small plants are usually received. However, these 

 small pieces establish themselves very quickly and in a short time come 

 into flower. Like the miniature-flowered kinds, the progeny of 1 Sylvia ' 

 excel when left in their flowering quarters for two or three years in 

 succession. In this way their true beauty is exemplified. Rock gardens 

 in which these types of the Viola largely preponderate are a glorious 

 picture. The rayless strains, by careful selection, are now fixed, and if 

 only the work that was begun by Dr. Stuart be persisted in there is no 

 reason why, in time, every colour possible in the Viola should not be 

 represented in both types. Flowers of the ' Sylvia ' strain at first were of 

 slightly less than normal size, but succeeding novelties have increased 



