Culture.—­It would not be safe to trust this plant in the open ground except during a very short period of the early part of the cold weather, when the so doing will give it strength to form blossoms.  In January, however, it should be re-potted, filling the pots about half-full of pebbles or stone-mason’s cuttings, over which should be placed good rich vegetable mould, mixed with a large proportion of sand, covering with a thin layer of the same material as has been put into the bottom of the pot; a top dressing of ground bones is said to improve the fineness of the blossoms.  They should not be kept too dry, but at the same time watered cautiously, as too much of either heat or moisture destroys the plants.

The Pansy or Heart’s-ease, V. tricolor, Kheeroo, kheearee, derives its first name from the French Pensee.  It was known amongst the early Christians by the name of Flos Trinitatis, and worn as a symbol of their faith.  The high estimation which it has of late years attained in Great Britain as a florist’s flower has, in the last two or three years, extended itself to this country.  There are nearly four hundred varieties, a few of which only have been found here.

The characters of a fine Heart’s-ease are, the flower being well expanded, offering a flat, or if any thing, rather a revolute surface, and the petals so overlapping each other as to form a circle without any break in the outline.  These should be as nearly as possible of a size, and the greater length of the two upper ones concealed by the covering of those at the side in such manner as to preserve the appearance of just proportion:  the bottom petal being broad and two-lobed, and well expanded, not curving inwards.  The eye should be of moderate, or rather small size, and much additional beauty is afforded, if the pencilling is so arranged as to give the appearance of a dark angular spot.  The colors must also be clear, bright, and even, not clouded or indistinct.  Undoubtedly the handsomest kinds are those in which the two upper petals are of deep purple and the triade of a shade less:  in all, the flower stalk should be long and stiff.  The plant blossoms in this country in February and March, although it is elsewhere a summer flower.

Propagation.—­In England the moat usual methods are dividing the roots, layers, or cuttings from the stem, and these are certainly the only sure means of preserving a good variety; but it is almost impossible in India to preserve the plant through the hot weather, and therefore it is more generally treated as an annual, and raised every year from seed, which should be sown at the close of the rains; as however their growth, in India is as yet little known, most people put the imported seed into pots as soon as it arrives, lest the climate should deteriorate its germinating power, as it is well known, that even in Europe the seed should be sown as soon as possible after ripening.  It will be well also to assist its sprouting with a little bottom heat, by plunging the pot up to its rim in a hot bed.  American seed should be avoided as the blossoms are little to be depended on, and generally yield small, ill-formed flowers, clouded and run in color.