THE FLOEAL WOELD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. 39 



It is impossible for ainy one to examine a violet attentively with- 

 out being struck with the beneficence of the Creator, who has so 

 admirably adapted its various parts for the fulfilment of the offices 

 assigned to them. The line Svliite hairs reaching over the mouth, 

 and protecting the stamens and pistils from the intrusion of insects 

 which might interfere with their functions, the wonderful provision 

 of nutriment for the stamens, and tlie admirable manner in which 

 the pollen is distributed over the style for the purpose of fecunda- 

 tion, cannot fail to fill the beholder with reverent admiration, so that 

 he can exclaim with the enthusiasm of Smart, 



"Immense Creator ! whose all-powerful hand 

 Framed universal being, and whose eye 

 Saw, like thyself, that all things formed were good j 

 Where shall the timorous bard thy praise begin. 

 Where end the purest sacrifice of song 

 And just thanksgiving ?" 



It is not to be wondered at, then, that the cultivation of violets 

 is one of the most favourite amusements in connection with the 

 garden. Many, it is true, find some difiiculty in growing them to 

 perfection, and complain that their plants get scraggy and woody, 

 without producing much bloom. But this arises chiefly from neglect 

 and carelessness, and mostly happens to those who imagine that 

 because the violet grows wild, and prospers in that condition, that 

 therefore it requires no care when placed in the garden. It does 

 not by any means follow that a plant which grows wild in one place 

 will flourish when transplanted to a garden, even though tbat garden 

 may be near the spot from which it was taken ; there being several 

 weeds which absolutely refuse to grow in cultivated ground. The 

 violet, then, requires ordinary care, and that its habits, likes, and 

 di?likes, should be studied. In the first place, it is remarkably fond 

 of a rich soi], and, in the second place, prefers a shady spot to a 

 sunny one ; and therefore, when preparing a bed for planting, these 

 two points must be borne in mind. Choose a shady plot of ground, 

 and have it dug deeply, and manured with a liberal hand ; in fact, if 

 it were prepared in the same way as a bed for cauliflowers, the 

 violets would do well in it. If the soil is heavy, it would be advi- 

 sable to mix some sharp sand from a gravel road with it ; and if 

 some charred rubbish is handy, some of that too, as the plants are 

 very fond of it. 



Having thus prepared the bed, the best time to plant is during 

 the first week in May, putting the old plants in rows apart from the 

 young ones, at about fifteen inches from each other, and the 

 latter in rows at about twelve inches apart, there being one foot 

 between each row. They should be planted firm ; care should be 

 taken to keep the ground clean and free from vermin, and during 

 dry weather they require heavy soakings of water. It may be re- 

 marked, with regard to position, that the shade of trees, where the 

 air can get to them all round, is very much preferable to the shade 

 of walls, and much more beneficial to the health of the plants. 

 During long periods of drought, they are subject to the attacks of 

 red spider ; but this may be checked in a great measure by dusting 



