JOUKNAIi OF HORTICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ May 23, 1872. 



is used to cause ammouiacal vapour in a -vinery, it ought 

 to be removed as eoou as the Grapes begin to colour. — J. 

 Douglas, Loxford Hull Gardens. 



VIOLETS. 



" Violets, deep blue Violets I 

 April's loveliest coronets, 

 There's not a flow'ret of tlie vale, 

 Kissed by the sun, wooed by the gale, 

 80 sweet as the deep blue Violets." 

 Eemixdees as to the advisability of devoting a sraaU portion 

 of every garden to the cultivation of the most unpretending, 

 yet sweetest of the sweet, of all hardy spring flowers, reach us 

 at this season of the year. Such reminders are not at aU too 

 frequent, and are as necessary as they are seasonable, seeing 

 that after all that has been said and written, many gardens 

 are destitute of Violets altogether, while in others they are 

 just tolerated in an out-of-the-way place, or, if cultivated, are 

 frequently seen in positions butiU-suitedto their requirements. 



Violets, like butterflies, enjoy the fresh country air, and are 

 at home amid the breezes of the rural districts. They hate 

 dust and smoke, but hke modestly to settle down in retired 

 nooks, and give forth their perfume on the sunny biinks where 

 men least congi'egate. Tet, they are tractable; they may be 

 brought veiy near the city, and in every garden where the 

 Rose will flourish the Violet will grow and shed its fragrance. 



Early aittumn and early spring are excellent times for 

 making plantations of Violets, and for replanting and renewing 

 where beds are already established. They will flourish on the 

 same plot 'or many years, providing a little attention is paid 

 to their natural requirements of soil and position. The beds 

 I replanted not long since have been devoted to Violet culture 

 for probably over thirty years, and each year the plants flourish 

 as satisfactorily as the year before. They are not at the foot 

 of a south wall, a place where for shelter it is common to find 

 them. It is a common error to plant them at the foot of 

 walls. I have tried them thus planted in evei-y aspect, but, 

 except the one facing due north, they are poor in comparison 

 ■with those grown apart from bricks and mortar. In such 

 positions they are denied the essential benefit of the free 

 current of au-, so necessary to keep them stout and sturdy, and, 

 in a measure, free from that devouring pest, the red spider. 



Violets, fortunately, are not overnice as to soil providing it 

 is fairly drained. 'While they enjoy liberal supplies of water 

 in summer, a soO surcharged with moisture in autumn and 

 ■winter is decidedly detrimental, and greatly impau-s their 

 blooming capabOities. On an old hght kitchen garden soil I 

 find no addition so good as turfy roadside trimmings con- 

 taining a natural and considerable admixture of lime. In hea^vy 

 soil, leaf mould liberally dug-in will be a suitable improvement. 

 In any soil charred refuse and wood ashes •will never be a mis- 

 taken appUcation. 



The beds here, in which rooted runners are planted 10 inches 

 to a foot apart, are on the soiith side of a border of espaUer 

 trees. In this position they flourish weU and bloom early. 

 They are frequently watered, and occasionally dressed -with 

 soot, and are never materially injured by red spider. Under 

 a ■wall with the same aspect they would be devoured. With a 

 hedge for shelter, a current of air continually passes over them, 

 ■while under a wall a diy inarching heat is reflected on them, 

 and the spider rejoices accordingly, and the Violet shrivels 

 and languishes. Violets grow equally well under an east and 

 west shelter of hedge or trees, but are not quite so early. 

 They will also grow freely enough in a shaded place -witha 

 northern exposure, but, as a rule, do not bloom in sufticient 

 abundance to make the beds attractive, or to give gatherings 

 in any useful quantity. 



The varieties I find the most free and useful are the Single 

 Russian for autumn, ■winter, and first spring pickings ; the 

 Giant, a splendid variety, for succession ; and the old Double 

 Blue, for the latest of all. A few NeapoUtans are also gro^wn to 

 cover with a frame. From this limited collection Violets may 

 be had from October to May inclusive, or eight months out 

 of the twelve. 



Just half the beds are renewed and replanted every year. 

 An advantage is found in this plan, as we are always sure of 

 early blooms by the two-season plants, the young ones coming 

 in immediately after them, yet ■with them, like parson and 

 clerk, only in the case of the Violets the clerk is the best in 

 the end. This only appUes to the singles, as the old Double 

 Blue likes to sing by himself, and is better not disturbed an- 

 nually, or even biennially, as it is often slow in re-establish- 



ing itself. The Giant is an eminentl3- useful variety. It 

 possesses a ■vigorous habit, powerful odour, and is extremely 

 free and floriferous. It ought to be grown by everybody. I 

 had plants of the Czar at the same time. It is very similar in 

 bloom and fohage to the Giant, but does not spread and in- 

 crease nearly so fast, as my stock of the former is stiU small, 

 while I have been able to give away hundreds of the Giant. 



Violet cultui-e is, perhaps, in itself too simple an affair to be 

 entered on willingly by many, and the plants are, as a conse- 

 quence, too often left to themselves. But seeing Violets so 

 frequently dispatched as pleasant mementos of friendship, 

 when I know they are met ■with a cheerful smile of welcome 

 from invalids in cottage homes, and are a comfort to sufferers 

 in hospital wards — knowing so much of their " sweet in- 

 fluence," I have pleasure in gi'owing Violets, and urging others 

 to grow them too. — J. W., Lincoln. 



FOKCED STEAWBERKIES FAILING. 



I ASK your con'espoudent "E. T. J.," whose Strawbemes 

 have failed, what was the state of the roots at the time of 

 introducing the plants into the house ? He says that after the 

 berries have set the most of them remain stationai^y. Does 

 not this show a want of proper rooting power ? The fact that 

 some of the fruit swell off shows a want of vigour somewhere, 

 or why not the whole crop swell off perfectly? " E. T. J.'s " 

 treatment in the house appears to be right ; but I find that to 

 be successful much depends upon the preiious treatment the 

 plants received. I maintain, and I beUeve it to be true, that 

 during the short time the plant is growing it makes no more 

 roots than are required for its support and the perfection of the 

 fruit ; and diu'ing the winter these roats must be preserved by 

 every means in the gardener's power, so that they may be as 

 plentiful and fresh-looking when the plants are put into the 

 house as when gro^vth is finished in autumn. 



I object to and do not practise the plan of packing the plants 

 away on their sides against walls of hothouses or other build- 

 ings ; in such positions the roots are too dry, and are either 

 killed or much injured, and when the plant sets its fruit it 

 fails to swell off a crop from the want of roots. I do not say 

 that " E. T. .J.'s " failure arises from this, as he does not 

 teU us how he wintered his jjlants, but it is just what I have 

 known to occur. Protection for forcing Strawberry plants is 

 absolutely necessary, but let the plants be plunged in either 

 ashes or leaves, or beds of convenient size in the open ground, 

 and throw rough Utter over the jilants in frosty weather. Set 

 the pots upright, I have never found that wet injures them ; 

 the htter must be removed in mild weather. If Strawberry 

 plants are well preserved dui-ing ■winter, and when forced in- 

 troduced to a high temperature gradually, and provided with 

 plenty of water, it is almost certain that a crop will swell off. 

 This season of dull and damp weather causes my fruit to rot 

 before it will ripen properly. Some sorts are more liable to 

 this than others ; if a small and a large sort are gi-owing to- 

 gether the latter would go first. A humid atmosphere ■will 

 cause it. — Thomas Record. 



THUNBEEGIA HAERISI. 



Mn. Recobd (page 380) has written in praise of Thunbergia 

 Harrisi for laurifoUa of some gardens) as a pot plant, which 

 eulogy it well deserves, but it can bear no comparison to one 

 planted out in a stove border. I had one at Hooley six yeai-s 

 ago which covered one-half of the roof of a Nymphjea house 

 and back glass partition. It was rare indeed to find it out of 

 flower even in the winter months, but the beauty in summer 

 was marvellous, the blooms hanging about a foot from the 

 wires to which it was trained, in clusters of beautiful " Gloxinia- 

 like lilac flowers," as Mr. Record describes. 



I know of no stove climber in point of beauty equal to it, 

 and of such easy culture. The compost used was two parts 

 turfy peat, one part turfy loam, one part leaf soil, charcoal 

 knobs, and sUver sand. I had a plant also trained over the 

 roof of a stove running north and south, but it did not do 

 quite so well as the one in the Xj-mphsea house, which was 

 facing north, with a glass partition dividing it from the vinei'y 

 on the south side, the apex of which, being higher, shaded the 

 plant from the direct rays of the sun. — .J. C. Muxdell, Tieech- 

 tcood Park, Tunbridije Wells. 



Sale of Orchids. — Two hundred and fifty lots of established 

 Orchids, drafted from E. Salt, Esq.'s, well-known collection at 



