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THEIR HISTORY, CULTURE AND HABITS 
The Pansy is a very populargp nia is usually grown as 
an annual. There is a quaint beayty i _itsymakeup it is a favorite 
with almost every gardener. Nof other p i! pare “ws it in 
the colorful variety of flowers roducelig If, given good mre and c 
ditions to its liking, few plapts will eqtfal fit in the caddlctnes. 
display given. airce Aae 
vf ie 
Pansies originated from j» nt co OR gig to by arly 
iclY i oy 




writers as Heartsease and thg ndainesPaasy by w w known 
is a corruption of the sg ay eh pmeaning t t; bas is 
mentioned by Parkinson as early as 162Q.as a ‘owey garden subject, 
The Pansy is so distinct from the wild “Specigs SHEAR Pit ecifi 
identity has not been determined. It is generally § idere 
a decendent of Viola Tricolor, a small perennial Violet nativ 
cooler parts of Hurope. 


The first known effort at the improvement of the Pansy occurred 
about 1812. Both Lord Gambier and the daughter of Lord Tankerville 
are credited with much early culture of them. Gambier’s gardener, 
Thompson, is believed to have been the first to do selective breeding. 
He developed a strain with face like markings which soon was 
referred to as the Show Pansy (this is still designated in modern 
strains as the Exhibition type) which by 1841 was the rage among 
fanciers. Among these early strains the perfection of color and mark- 
ing outranked size which was small. 
The giant flowered strains came about as a result of the English 
stock being taken up by French and Belgium growers. Their standards 
differed and it was not long before entirely different forms of Pansies 
began to appear. Size rather than form and garish colors rather 
than preciseness of marking was the order of the day. These groups 
soon became known as Fancy varieties. Our modern varieties and 
strains are usually the result of selection and breeding of both 
types, Although the advanced grower still follows the original typing 
of the different sorts more or less. The real standard of quality in 
Pansies as we know them today began to emerge about 1860 and 
improvement has been more orderly since that time. From that time 
until just after the turn of the century there was not much advance- 
ment made. Soon after 1900, however, some 5 or 6 men took up the 
Pansy in a serious and svecialized manner and the result of their 
work was the foundation of the present day strains. 
For the American Gardener this small group improved the Pansy 
and developed varieties much better adapted to the American climate. 
They increased vitality, developed longer stems supporting flowers of 
enormous size well above the foliage and gave us a more symmetrical 
upright growing plant of more sturdy habit. Under favorable cond- 
itions these stems are long enough that the Pansy may be used as 
a cut flower. One of our greenhouse forcing types now available will 
produce stems 14 inches or more in length in the greenhouse and 
the plants are 4 feet or more in height. This type is too tender for 
outdoor culture in climates where the temperature drops below 25 
degrees. Another cut flower type which can be grown out of doors 
is just as hardy as other Pansies and will produce 12 inch stems on 
rlants a foot high with good culture. This is the one we supply for 
home gardeners. It is a strain we originated many years ago and it 
was the first variety bred for the express purpose of producing cut 
flowers. 
Generally the home gardener prefers the mixed markings and 
large flowers in the widest possible color range. These are available 
in a number of types and generally it may be assumed that the more 
costly strains will be of the best quality. From the standpoint of 
tie breeder it is essential that the price placed on the seeds shall 
relect the cost of production and cover the development work that 
he has devoted to that strain. This makes the reputation of the breed- 
er of prime importance to you. It is upon the breeders reputation 
that you must evaluate the product. Another factor in pricing is that 
the strains producing the larger flowers yield the smallest quantity 
of seed 
It Might be interesting to our friends and customers to know a 
bit of the background of HARROLD’S. The original firm was founded 
in 1902 by C. W. Harrold who at 74 is still our grower and breejing 
Copyright 1945 by Harrold’s. All rights reserved. 
—~, Pagel —— 
