53 



THE FLORIST AND POMOEOGIST. 



THE CULTIVATION OF THE PANSY. 



I hate received several letters asking for information as to the best method 

 of growing Pansies, and as I prefer making one answer do for all, I beg to 

 trouble you with the following remarks. 



Here, we winter all in cold brick pits with sliding, sashes, and fill the inside 

 with coarse ashes, of which we can procure an unlimited supply from the 

 numerous manufactories. On this we place about 4 inches of soil, and in the 

 autumn plant out in rows all the young plants from the cutting-beds, and those 

 taken from the old plants ; the plants are kept near the glass, as dry as possible, 

 and perfectly hardy. We never mat or protect the frames, as I never knew 

 frost injure a Pansy whilst in a dry state ; in fact, no plant can be hardier 

 than the Pansy, but it will not stand damp. It is, therefore, safest in wintering 

 all florists' flowers in frames, to elevate the plants as far as possible above the 

 ground level ; let them rest on a raised bed of coarse ashes, gravel, or any 

 other drainage. Here, where the climate is so very different to the south of 

 England, we'find it absolutely necessary to winter our stock in pits, not on 

 account of frost, but because we suffer so fearfully from violent winds and 

 damp. We adopt raised beds for summer growth — that is, beds raised above 

 the surface by means of brickwork, so that in very hot weather we have no 

 difficulty in getting rid of superfluous moisture. I have seen the most destructive 

 results arise to the Pansy from heavy rain followed immediately by very hot 

 weather. In my opinion it is most essential to the Pansy that it should be pro- 

 tected from an excess of moisture ; and when the weather is very dry, of course 

 watering can be resorted to. We plant out in April, and use a soil consisting of 

 decomposed sods, a large proportion of matured leaf soil, with a small amount 

 of rotten manure, all of which has been burned during the winter's frost. Some 

 kinds of Pansies require to be grown poorer than others, in order to get them 

 in first-class condition for the exhibition table ; but this is the exception, and 

 not the rule in Pansy growing. I object to the use of much manure ; in fact, 

 when good leaf soil can be had, manure is not wanted at planting time ; and I 

 think manure should be most carefully applied, especially in the form of guano. 

 I have seen Pansies severely injured by the application of guano in a dry 

 state, causing total destruction of many of the shoots, and in some cases plants. 

 The safest plan is to use guano in a liquid form — say about an ounce to three 

 gallons of water, and then to water round the plants and not on them. 



Protection from strong sunshine should be afforded the plants, not only to 

 benefit the flowers, but the plants as well : they dislike excessive heat, and 

 strong, healthy-looking plants will succumb to its influence in a few hours. 

 The protection from both hot and rainy weather which we use is a span-roofed 

 framework of wood, permanently fixed over the beds, on which canvass is 

 strained ; the sides about 18 inches above the beds. This allows a free circu- 

 lation of air underneath, and admits plenty of light. It will not do to shade 

 too heavily, or drawing will be the result. Here, the plants remain until 

 November, when we take them up, pull them to pieces, and place them in 

 their winter quarters ; the beds are surfaced occasionally during the summer 

 to encourage the rooting of the side shoots. 



A few words to young exhibitors. The Pansy is in perfection in May and 

 June, and often later ; but when hot weather really sets in, you will find your 

 Pansy blooms come small and imperfectly belted. It is, therefore, not easy to 

 show fine Pansies in the dog days ; but with the cooler weather of September 

 and October fine blooms may be had. To get these, however, cuttings should 

 be taken off in April or May, or young pieces slipped off with roots and placed 



