246 
THK PANSY. 
ticularly if at all violent, splashes up the grit, 
and destroys the flower, hand-glasses, or some 
other covering, should be provided, to throw 
off excessive wet and prevent the splashes. 
The most simple and complete mode of pre- 
venting mischief from both rain and sun, is to 
hoop the beds across, and put some rods along 
the tops and on each side, half down ; on this 
throw a transparent calico in the evening at 
sunset, and when violent rains or very hot sun 
render it necessary ; otherwise attention must 
be paid to the single individual flowers, where- 
ever they may happen to be. But it must be 
remembered that the splashing of mud will 
injure very backward blooms, so that they do 
not get over it ; the stain remains upon them 
throughout the whole time ; so that it is of no 
small importance to prevent this if you have 
any idea of showing. Struck cuttings may 
now be planted into new beds, and be well 
watered, and the earth should be stirred on 
the surface, and top-dressing put on, as soon 
as the cuttings so planted out begin to make 
fresh growth. Some of the plants that come 
forwardest into flower may be spread round, 
and laid flat on the bed, and a heap of com- 
post put in the middle, so as to completely lay 
all the shoots, as it were, underground, except 
the ends. These should be afterwards watered 
and kept pretty moist. It is a simple way of 
layering all the shoots, and is done very 
quickly. It is in contemplation of this, that 
we recommend planting nine inches apart in 
the beds. In Scotland this has been a very 
successful mode of propagating, and we once 
had a specimen sent us of a plant so laid, and 
taken up with all its branches to it ; we really 
believe we could have taken fifty or sixty 
rooted plants, for every eye was struck, and 
the little branch from it was grown, so that, in 
fact, every joint made a plant. But many 
who serve a bed thus, may not want the plants, 
and in that case, the end of every shoot makes 
a new strong blooming plant, which again 
covers the bed with flowers. "When the beds 
are planted out in this month, it is well to 
fork in an inch covering of rotten dung, mixing 
it up to the depth of three inches, and planting 
them in this will set them oft' growing imme- 
diately. "Where a bed is at all exhausted, 
put a pound weight of good Peruvian guano, 
or half a peck of rotten cow-dung, or a quart 
of very rotten poultry dung, into five gallons 
of water, and, when well mixed, give the bed 
two good waterings, a week apart, and several 
plain waterings between whiles ; otherwise, 
even this diluted stuff would be found too 
strong. Seedlings that are large enough may 
be planted out, three inches apart, in rows 
six inches from each other. Seedlings that 
are in bloom must be examined from day to 
day, and, instead of marking the best, throw 
away every one that is inferior as soon as it 
opens enough ; but, if there are certain good 
properties, such as roundness, thickness, and 
smoothness of edge, you must not care so 
much about colour, for it is very possible that 
the flower may come out of character, and 
therefore may be left to prove itself as to size 
and colour ; but root out and destroy all thin 
petals, all that are notched and serrated, all 
that are long instead of round, or curly or 
crumpled, so that, in all probability, the bed 
may be cleared without finding a dozen worth 
trying ; this, however, depends on the seed. 
As fast as they are rooted out, fork up the 
place, and put others in ; it will keep the bed 
full, and save trouble, and keep seedlings 
together. 
July. — This month is not favourable for 
blooming the Pansy, but, nevertheless, the 
seedling bed is interesting. Those which have 
been planted to fill up the vacancies occasioned 
by the rejected novelties, are here and there 
flowering, and require constant watching, that 
they may be thrown out as fast as they bloom 
and show themselves unworthy ; and have 
others planted from the seed beds, or seed 
pans, in their place. By thus planting in the 
vacancies, the bed is always kept interesting, 
and room saved. Those which, by continuing 
in good character, establish a claim to a place 
in collections, may be propagated by taking off 
the small side shoots as fast as they come and 
grow large enough ; and as the main shoots 
become long enough to be spared, the ends may 
be taken off to be struck. This will induce 
further side growth, and extend the branches. 
It is highly desirable, with regard to these ap- 
proved seedlings, to prevent their seeding, by 
cutting off decaying flowers before the pods 
swell ; and if you are once satisfied, so as to 
require no more blooms, and to want all the 
increase, take off the buds as they come for- 
ward, instead of allowing them to bloom, for 
the plant will grow more rapidly, and give 
more shoots for cuttings. These very choice 
things should be struck in pots or pans, in 
cold frames, or in an open, shady, or artificially- 
shaded border, under bell or hand glasses. The 
beds of Pansies should be treated as last 
month, and where they have gone by their per- 
fection, they may all be layered, by earthing 
the centres and burying the stems, all but the 
ends ; or be cut in pretty close to the root, 
fresh earthed, and be allowed to throw up fresh 
growth for cuttings ; or, as another alternative, 
they may be taken up at once, and torn to 
pieces, the portions which have roots to them 
being planted out at once, and such of the 
others as will make good cuttings being pre- 
pared and put in for striking. As the Pansy 
is a flower for all seasons, good enough for 
gardens, successive beds may be kept up, by 
