Pansies 
Between the ist and 15th of August we sowed, for early bloom, in 
cold frames, producing about six thousand young seedlings. From 
past experience of losing hundreds of these by "damping off" (I 
know no more choice term for this calamity) we had first worked into 
the soil a 4-inch potful of air-slaked lime, so that practically all of our 
seedlings survived, and were transplanted, first into flat boxes, until 
these became covered with the foliage, then into their winter residence 
in cold frames, with well-enriched soil. Here they remained, under a 
thick covering of leaves, until their final placing out in April. For the 
last few weeks in the frames we covered the young plants with a sash 
in order to force early bloom. 
As our soil is largely clay — baking and cracking readily — we 
had prepared trenches in the fall in which the pansies were to be 
planted in their permanent position; these were filled with green- 
house soil, which is easily stirred and worked and does not harden. 
After planting, a dressing of sheep manure was forked in. 
For late bloom we sowed seed during February in shallow boxes 
in the greenhouse, transplanting to frames as soon as possible, to 
harden before putting into the open ground in May. 
For clear coloring and size I have found the following most suc- 
cessful: 
In blues, the familiar Beaconsfield, Emperor William, Queen of 
the Blues and Violet, all dark shades, and Adonis, an exquisite sky- 
blue with white center — one of the finest I have ever seen. 
Two lovely pink pansies, almost exactly alike in deep tones, are 
Mme. Perret and Rosy Morn, while Almond Blossom produces pale 
pastel shades of pink which are charming. 
In yellows, the Golden Queen is a clear, satisfactory color, with 
Mareschal Niel, somewhat paler, and an exquisite novelty, perfectly 
described by its name of Apricot. 
The Bronze variety gives every shade from burnt orange to chest- 
nut brown, and while a bedding pansy, and not large, blooms gener- 
ously and is most effective in arrangement. 
In mixed colors, I have found the Mauve Queen, in two delicious 
shades; the Bridesmaid, rosy white with mauve center; Fairy Queen, 
bright blue, rimmed with white; and Siegfried, rich brown with yel- 
low margin, all very fine. These varieties, sown in February, have 
bloomed profusely through August and promise to continue until a 
killing frost. 
Jessie Peabody Butler, 
Garden Club of Illinois. 
