PANSY AND VIOLA

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 207, 17 September 1937, Page 15

PANSY AND VIOLA

I think if children had to vote on what they considered their favourite flower, the pansy would win. This favoured little annual is sometimes lieglected. ,Wlien one considers the fine strains which are now offered the only wonder is that they are not grown by every one. These various strains are as f ollows : — Frcncli, Masterpiece, Bugnot's Exhibition, Dennis's strain, etc. The pansy is of very easy culturu, and should be grown mor®. "What is the difference between tho pansy and the viola?" Violas are a cross between tlie old garden pansy and the small tufted vjola cornuta, a small blue flowering species, very much like the violet, the latter being the seed bearer. Hence the name "Tufter Pansies,'5 in allusion to the tufted habit of the parent plant Real pansies are of a coarser habit than violas. The old show pansies are of decided colours. but have a chstmet biotch under the eye. The belted pansies (whetlier wlijte or yellow ground) have a centre biotch, and a broad margin of crimson, purple, brown, red, chestnut or other lines. Of late years, however, pansies of distinct self-colours have been brought into commerce by hybridising, Violas fhrive in almosu any soil, and are among some of the best plants for bedding purposes. To retain a continuation of bloom, they should have tlie dead flowers removed once a week and not allowed to remain 011 tlie plants, as this shortens the flowering season considerably. They suffer mostly from dronglit, and should be continually waterod during dry weather. Old roots should never be alluwed to remain two years, and sliould he taken up and , divided into small nieces.