CHAP. VIII.] THE HEARTSEASE. 271 
Mr. Lee instantly saw the advantages to be 
derived from the culture of the plant; other 
nurserymen followed his example* and in a 
few years the heartsease took its place as a 
florists’ flower. The heartsease mania was at 
its height from 1835 to 1838; but during the 
last year, it has appeared somewhat on the 
decline. The most splendid flowers grown 
for exhibition are generally hybrids* which 
possess* in a great degree* the qualities of 
both parents. Thus* though almost every 
heartsease has sprung partly from the wild 
kind* (Viola tricolor*) its other parent may be 
traced by its general appearance. The very 
large dark purple and yellow flowers are 
descended from Viola grandiflora* a species 
with large yellowish flowers; other large 
flowers* with dark purple upper petals* and 
the lower ones of a bluish tinge* are de¬ 
scended from V. amoena; and the offspring 
of V. lutea are nearly all yellow* strongly 
marked with very dark branched lines. The 
hybrids raised partly from V. altaica are of 
a very pale yellow* and the petals have an 
undulated margin; those from V. Rotho- 
mogensis* or V. hispida* are of a pale blue; 
