t'ebrnary 19 , 1891 . ] 
JOURXAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
141 
lovers of this charming flower, and especially those who are so 
frequently asking me for a list of the finest varieties, I have 
made a selection, which includes both exhibition and decorative 
varieties. The latter class, although fit for the exhibition table, 
!ire perhaps not so fine in quality as the former, and may be 
distinguished by their robust constitution and floriferousness. 
Those who grow the Pansy for exhibition ought to have their com¬ 
posts prepared during the winter months. The preparation of 
composts is now an acknowledged necessity by all cultivators for 
exhibition, and ought to form one of the chief occupations of a 
season when little else in the way of gardening can be done. 
Decayed leaves is perhaps the best rooting medium we can procure, 
and full of raanurial properties ; a large proportion of leaf mould 
ought therefore to form part of the compost. In preparing a good 
bed for Pansies the soil ought to be taken out to a depth of 
18 inches, then fork in some good manure, afterwards making up 
the bed about G inches above the surface with the compost, which 
will hitherto have been thoroughly mixed and pulverised with the 
frcst. As soon as the weather is somewhat mild, and the ground 
dry enough, planting ought to be pushed on without delay during 
March and April. This is one of the secrets of success. After 
planting we tread the bed as firm as possible, as with an Onion bed, 
after which a good mulching of the compost is again applied and 
levelled neatly over. The great point is to have the roots actively 
working in deep fertile soil before the hot weather of early summer 
sets in. The Pansy is a moisture loving plant, and no amount of 
Han will do it any harm, provided its roots are cool and moist, and 
it is wonderful the slight hold dry weather takes on vegetation 
established in deep-worked fertile soil. 
It is true the Pansy can be grown well in ordinary garden soil 
in borders or any other convenient part of the garden without any 
special treatment, but to produce exhibition blooms it will be 
found a little extra care in cultivation is necessary, especially now 
when competition is so keen. In shallow-worked g*-ound the 
stratum of fertile soil must be so thoroughly treed from moisture 
in hot weather as to cripple the plants by lack of food, and 
probably those roots which did pass beyond the reach of drought 
were in a medium entirely deficient in the elements of plant food, 
of which moisture is only one, though most important. 
It may be remarked by some that Pansies do not require a deep¬ 
rooting medium, but although the roots may not travel enough to 
obtain direct supplies from the deeper soil, yet there is a continual 
passing of moisture laden with plant food in solution to take the 
place of the drier medium in which the roots are active. If there 
be no means of staying the upward progress of this moisture its 
final destination will be the atmosphere, and much of its value 
is destroyed by this means ; we must therefore have the ground 
mulched two or three times during the season with short decayed 
manure or other compost, which will act as a complete foil 
between the dry atmosphere above and the comparatively moist 
soil beneath. 
la the subjoined list the varieties marked thus^' are selected as 
decorative sorts. Owing to their stronger constitution they are 
better adapted for borders, or such places as may be devoted to 
LIST OF THE LEADING FANCY PANSIES. 
Name. 
Raiser’s or 
Introducer’s 
Name. 
Date 
of Intro¬ 
duction. 
Colour. 
Lord Hamilton . 
Grossart . 
1890 
Mulberry blotches, belting mauve, suffiscd with rose, a novel cimbination. 
Mrs. Atkinson . 
Atkinson . 
1890 
Maroon blotches, yellow ground, broadly margined with deep puce. 
Wm. Ross . 
Campbell . 
1890 
Dark crimson blotches, belting white, suffused with rosy-crimson, margined like a 
Mrs. John McConnell. 
McConnell . 
1888 
Violet blotches, purple ground, distinctly edged with pure white. [rainbow. 
.M. A. Scott . 
Campbell . 
1888 
Purple blotches, bronze ground, margined rose, suffused with yellow. 
*J. J. Ashton. 
McConnell . 
— 
Dark crimson self, beautiful outline, perfect form. 
Miss Hudson. 
Tinsley. 
1890 
Violet blotches, white self, a beautiful smooth flower. 
* Market Favourite . 
Steel . 
1890 
Brown blotches, yellow self of grand outline. 
^Tom Travis. 
Kay . 
1890 
Dense violet blotches, purple ground, margined with pure white. 
*Kayi . 
Kay . 
1890 
Purple blotches, yellow ground, margined rosy-purple. 
*Wm. Evits. 
Kay . 
1890 
Velvety black blotches, ground bronzy yellow belted with deep crimson. 
’•‘Geo. Anderson . 
Bailey. 
1889 
Maroon blotches, violet ground, edged yellow. 
Mrs. Lister . 
Lister . 
1890 
Purple blotches, edged crimson. 
Alex. Smith. 
Campbell . 
1890 
Purple blotches, yellow ground, belted with crimson. 
Mrs. Mark . 
Campbell . 
1890 
Dense black blotches, ground light yellow, edged with rosy-crimson. 
* Donald Morrison . 
Campbell . 
1883 
Purple blotches, yellow ground, belted with rosy-crimson. 
* Lizzie Duncan . 
Campbell . 
1889 
Black blotches, purple ground, edged white. 
Miss French. 
Campbell . 
1883 
Dark violet blotches, yellow ground, belted with crimson. 
Neil Leitch . 
Lister . 
1838 
Maroon blotches, yellow ground, edged with rose. 
Maggie Shaw. 
Campbell . 
1889 
Violet blotches, white ground, suffused with rose. 
* Helen Christie . 
Campbell . 
1890 
Purple blotches, white ground, suffused with rose. 
*Sir Jas. King . 
Stewart. 
1883 
Violet blotches, purple ground, margined with white. 
*Neil M’Kay. 
Fox . 
1887 
Chocolate blotches, yellow ground, margined with chestnut brown. 
John Taylor. 
Kay . 
1890 
Blue blotches, white self, of fine form. 
Mrs. Hugh Weir . 
Weir . 
1890 
Chocolate blotches, yellow ground, margined with rose. 
Pilrig . 
Dickson & Co. ... 
1885 
Mulberry blotches, yellow ground, margined with crimson. 
•* Princess Beatrice . 
Laird & Son. 
188() 
Violet blotches, white self, of finest form. 
Alfred Hunt. 
Paul . 
1888 
Brown blotches, plum ground, edged yellow. 
*Mrs. John Downie . 
Sutherland. 
1881 
Chocolate blotches, lemon self, very large smooth flower. 
’"Beauty. 
McComb . 
1835 
Crimson blotches, white self, shaded ruse, exceedingly pretty. 
Mrs. John Ellis . 
Campbell . 
1883 
Dark indigo blotches, white self, of fine form. 
Mrs. Browell. 
Bailey. 
1886 
Dinse purple blotches, crimson self, fine outline. 
John Mattieson . 
Steel . 
1890 
Brown blotches, yellow ground, edged rosy-crimson. 
*Lord Rosebery . 
Pattison . 
1835 
Dark indigo blotches, purple ground, edged white. 
E laine . 
Dobbie & Co. ... 
1889 
Violet blotches, purple ground, edged white. 
*John Pope . 
Laird & Son. 
1888 
Brown blotches, yellow ground, belted with rosy purple. 
Katie Hope . 
Dobbie & Co. 
1888 
Vio’et b'otches, ground rosy-purple, edged white. 
* Dusty . 
Kay . 
1890 
Dark blue blotches, ye low ground, belted crimson. 
Mas. Alexander . 
Cuthbertson 
1887 
Black blotches, yellow ground, belted rosy-purple. 
“"Dodo . 
Downie. 
1888 
Violet blotches, yellow ground, margined with purple. 
*My Lady . 
Pochin. 
1381 
Purple blotches, violet ground, edged white. 
'■"Harry Moore . 
Stewart. 
1890 
Dense daik blotches, crimson seH. 
Dottie Irvine. • . 
Irvine . 
1883 
Chocolate blotches, yellow ground, belted with rosy-purple. 
“"Geo. Cromb. 
Lister . 
1837 
Claret blotches, pink ground, belted with ruby-crimson. 
Lady of the Lake. 
Paul . 
1889 
Violet blotches, creamy white self, exceeding'y pretty. 
Kate M'Arthur . 
Campbell . 
1838 
Black blotches, yel'ow ground, margined crimson. 
Edith E. Brown . 
Lister . 
1888 
Purple blotches, ground indigo blue, edged white. 
“"Richard Dean . 
Downie. 
1888 
Dense dark blotches, claret self. 
Tom McFarlane . 
Grossart . 
1890 
Brown blotches, white self, of fine foiln. 
*Mis3 Marchbank. 
Downie. 
1888 
Chooolate blotches, rosy-purple g ound, belted with white. 
