THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE OF AMERICA. 



79! 



QUERIES and ANSWERS 



Wc believe the greatest good can be accomplished for the greatest 

 number, by instituting a query column; or an exchange of expe- 

 riences, on practical propositions, by our readers. 



You are invited to contribute questions, and answer others. 



Each question as receii'ed will be given a number, the question- 

 er's name will not be published, but the source of the answer will 

 be giz'en unless otherwise requested. 



We all have something we would like to know more about. Here 

 is your opportunity to ascertain somebody's experience in just that 

 matter. 



Nothing will tend to better fellowship than helping each other. 



'J iiht- ii(i:\intJ^e of this "Qucslifu Box." 



Has any reader of the Chronicle ever grown the 

 Princess of Wales Violet or any other single flowering 

 kind in a cold frame successfully? If so, would they 

 please give their methods? — S L., Penn. 



lii reply to the query, C'iiii single; violets be grown successfully 

 in rolil frames? violets can be grown successfully, providing the 

 following methods are carried out: 



In the lirst place, collect enough leaves and put in bottom of 

 frame to the depth of inclu's. These will keep a steady warmth 

 to the new soil until the plants have established themselves. The 

 soil should consist of a good, turfy loam, well broken up, with a 

 liberal supply of bone meal and wood ashes added. A little spent 

 mushroom manure is beneficial to help lighten the soil. Mix 

 thoroughly, and simplj- put enough into the frame to plant the 

 stock. It is a mistake to use too great a quantity, as this does 

 not dry out fast enough, causing stagnation. See that you have 

 tlie plants well up to the sash wiiicli gives them as much light as 

 possible. The location of the frames would be best facing south, 

 with a good protection from the cutting north winds, which are 

 very prevalent during the winter months. Good, clean, healthy 

 stock, using great care in planting, is one of the chief things to 

 bear in mind, as you have here the foundation of your success. If 

 your plants are grown at home, you will be able to plant with a 

 good ball of soil, and these will go right away without a check. 



Keep the frame closed for a few days, and gradually bring them 



to outside conditions by admitting air according to the weather. 



I'rotection from Frost : Secure some light stable litter and pack 



same well around the frames right up to the sashes and keep 



adding more as the material settles down. 



Have wooden shutters and burla]) mats in a handy place for 

 covering the sash, whenever a frost is imminent, but do not cover 

 unless you arc I'eally obliged to as it is known that violets will 

 stand Vi degrees or more frost, without protection. If you find 

 at any time your plants had not been covered over night, and the 

 plants are frozen hard, spray tliem with cold water and cover to 

 protect the sun'.s rays from striking them. J)o this the first thing 

 in the morning, and after a few licjurs you can uncover, providing 

 the weather conditions permit, anil you will find they will be in a 

 normal condition. One of the chief factors to bear in mind is that 

 the violet is a fresh air loving plant, and dislikes to be cuddled 

 uji during ordinary weather. Watering is also to lie done with 

 call'. When the frames are all planted, give them a thorough 

 watering, and later on you must take advantage of a. nice, warm 

 morning to do this to allow them to dry ovit before night. I have 

 seen violets covered up entirely for over three weeks in the very 

 severe weather, and upon opening tliem up they were covered with 

 blooms. Princess of Wales is. I liiink, the best single for cold- 

 frame cult\u-e, as it will stand more frost than other varieties. 

 Gov. Herrick is also good. comiHg in eiirlier. 



!•;. ItOBINSOX, Groton, Conn. 



well cultivated. .Medium loamy or stony soil is best, liy or near 

 the end of Septendjcr is tlie time to bring them in, with medium 

 balls to them. Handle carefully. If soil is dry, give the plants a 

 good soaking one week ahead. 



As for the frames. If location and soil is naturally well ilrained, 

 nothing else is needeil. If not well drained it must be made so. 

 Any material suitable for such pur])ose will do. 15ut by no means 

 fresh manure. Five to six inches of soil is required. .Should be 

 well rotten loamy soil, sweet and possiblj' some well rotten ma- 

 nure. Try to have plants at least 8 inches from glass, 1 foot will 

 not Inu-t. Make frames face south to southeast. Give gooil dip 

 to glass. Study to have things so that you can keep frost out, no 

 matter how' cold the weather may be. Have the best of covers 

 and shutters, so you can keep things dry. If needed put an enve- 

 lope of dry leaves, straw, maniue or fodder round the frame. 

 Anything to keep out the cold. Do not ex])ect violets to bloom 

 if the sun does not shine. But if you liavc a fair amount of sun- 

 shine, and you keep out the IrosI, and \Miler ^paiingly and on 

 bright mornings only, if you do not forget aii-ing wduMiever 

 possible, keeping things clean always, then you ought to have 

 success. Some seasons the writer could pick flowers from Septem- 

 ber until April constantly, at other seasons not so well. But it is 

 always worth while, and the show and the joy you ought to have 

 during March is inexpressible. 



.1. W. :\II:|;TZ, Kosemont, Pa. 



In answer to S. L. Penn, page 100, GAitDENEiiiS" Chronicle, 

 September issue, the writer has been growing violets, single 

 and double, all kinds, since 1870, in coldframes. Has gi'own Prin- 

 cess of Wales. But THE violet is I>uxonne, at least in our locality, 

 11 miles west of Philadelphia. Have been gi'owing it since its 

 introduction, simultaneously with Prini'ess of Wales. I have 

 seen the latter do better in houses than the first, but it stands no 

 comparison with Luxonne in tlie coldframe, at least with us. 



Any kind, including Luxonne, will vary somewhat from year to 

 year, depending on climatic conditions and — upon llu; care exer- 

 cised in treatment. 



To insure success, note: 



Be sure to get "young" ofi'shoots with nire white roots to them 

 if ])ossible at end of March or the best young plants obtainable, 

 if you cannot get the first. If jiotted plants, shake dirt olT. ex- 

 amiiu\ throw away old stumpy things, 7nuck widl what you keep 

 and heel in carefidly outside, proteeting against sharp late fi-osts. 



As soon as truck patch or field is ready for planting, plant out 

 carefully, but give another mucking before doing so. They ought 

 to grow then. Plant at least 2 feet apart each way. Do not let 

 them grow out of bounds, but sucker oecasioiuilly. Keep clean. 



In r<'iily to the query of S, L,. Prineess of Wales violets can bo 

 successfully grown in eolil frames in Pennsylvania; at least I 

 have never had any trouble in doing so at Reading. 



Of course, a continual supply of flowers depends upon the 

 severity of the winter. Last winter there were only two weeks 

 in which flowers were not cut, but in the previous one, when we 

 had the temperature as low as 22 below zerov there were no 

 blooms for aljout six weeks during the severest weather. .\t 

 this period, although the frames were well banked with mainire 

 and I'overed with thick mats and boards, the ground inside the 

 frames froze to a depth of three inches. This, however, did not 

 hurt the plants in the least, as the subsequent cut of flowers left 

 nothing to be desired. 



Witii the advent (if hot sun in the spring tlie glass sliouhl lie 

 removed altogether and lath or clice^e-chitli shading sulislituted, 

 so as to extend the llowering period as long as possible into April. 

 As soon as Ikiwers cease the clumps should be lifted and the out- 

 side growth of single shoots having a few roots taken and planted 

 in a bed of rich soil a foot ajiart eaeii way and shadeil witli l.ith 

 screens. Some prefer rooting runners in sand, but as all runners 

 are best kept cut ofl' there should be none of them to root. I 

 have never found any ditference in results from divisions or 

 runners. It is not, however, absolutely necessary to plant the 

 above in an outside bed, as they may be just as well put directly 

 into the frame in wdiich they are to flower. In this case it is well 

 to set a few outside to provide for casualties. 



In case the frames are required for something else then this 

 may be deferred until .\ugust or September, but the former is to 

 be preferred as flowers generally commence to appear by the sec- 

 ond or third week of the latter month. S. L. can buy field grown 

 plants now, and he will soon have fiowers. 



Frequent cultivation and watering when necessary are in order 

 at all times. 



For soil I have lieeii ill the habit of using that taken from the 

 benches in which mums and snapdragons have been grown the 

 previous winter, taking out a foot of the old soil from the frames. 

 To each bushel of bench soil I add one peck of screened rotten 

 leaves, V, peck of shredded cattle manure and 1 pound of bone 

 meal, working the whole thorouglily with the soil left in the 

 frame. It is well to have this done a week or two before jilaut- 

 ing. The top of the soil in the frame should be a foot below the 

 glass in front. 



Fifteen plants are snIVicient for a frame G x 3 feet. After 

 planting in the frame cultivation must be continued for which 

 purpose' one of the hand weeders is a good fool. Keej) runners 

 and all leaves showing the smallest spot of disease removed. 

 Water in the moniinu thoroughly as often as necessary. .\s soon 

 as the temperature is liable to" go below 40 at night the sash 

 should be put on. siviiig all air possible during the day. 



Upon a bright sunny day in November I usually apply 1 pound 

 of bone meal and a'l/j peck of sheep manure to each frame, 

 working it into the soil with the wceder, giving after a thorough 

 watering. This watering is generally the last which will be re- 

 quired until the lengthei'iing days of the new year. 



Frames should face anv way from southeast to south, and be 

 well slieltered from northwest and north winds. Banking should 

 not be put olf too loiiL' so tliat as much of the warmth absorbed 

 by the soil during the summer may be preserved as long as 



^"jlats and boards should be in readiness to use as necessary. 

 The latter can be hoUL'ht the same size as the sash, or they can 

 easilv be made at home of quarter-inch match boarding. Boards- 



