S August, 1907.] Garden Notes. 495 



The sweet violets, Yiola odor at a and its varietv alba are nati\es of 

 Britain, and are found growing in tlie fields and hedge-rows. The 

 present garden tvpes of violets have been raised from this species, and 

 whiles the flower has long been popular on account of its perfume and 

 time of blooming, the interest in it has largely increased of late years 

 owing to the improvement that has been effected by gardeners in increasing 

 the size and introducing more varied colouring in the flowers and vigour 

 in the plants, without diminishing the characteristic perfume. The single 

 varieties in particular have been greatly improved. The double flowered 

 violets have been produced from a variety of the common violet, Viola 

 odorata var. pallida plena, the Neapolitan violet. The double tvpes, 

 though not as hardv as the single kinds, are also' popular garden plants, 

 flowering freely under suitable conditions. The flowers are delightfullv 

 fragrant, in many varieties the perfume resembling that of the wall- 

 flower. Violets thrive in the Southern and elevated districts of this State 

 but require some protection in the hot No-rthern districts, ]:)articularlv 

 where the soil is of a sandv nature. Thev endure a deal of heat if the 

 soil at the roots is moist and cool. 



The violet succeeds best in a fairly heavv soil that has been deeply 

 W'Orked and moderatelv manured. An excessive quantity of nitrogeno'us 

 manure wdll cause the production of an excess of gross foliage and very 

 little bloom. The usual position assigned to violets is that of edging 

 plants, for which purpose they are specially suitable. The single flowered 

 varieties will thrive in any aspect excepting an excessively shaded one, 

 bur the double varieties require a rather shaded position unless the soil 

 is cool and moist. Red spider is the principal insect pest of the violet 

 and is difiicult to exterminate owing to its attacking the under surface 

 of the leaf. When the plants are badly affected the leaves become \ellow 

 in colour and should be cut off and burned; in the case of plants newly 

 set out, the application of water is necessarv. 



Violet plants bloom freely for two seasons, after wdiich the\- become 

 weak and straggling in habit, and the flowers produced are poor and few. 

 The plants should be renewed after the second year, fresh soil being 

 necessary to insure success. Strong sturdv runners with roots attached 

 should be selected, and planted either in the spring or autumn. The 

 plants should be mulched with rotted manure early in summer. 



The principal varieties are: — Double flowered: Neapolitan, and De 

 Parme, pale mauve; INIarie Louise, lavender blue; New York, violet; 

 Lady Hume Campbell, mauve; Count Brazza, wdiite ; Madame INlillet, 

 rose; and King of Violets, dark blue. Single flowered: Admiral 

 Avellan, purplish red; California, violet j^urple ; La France, violet blue; 

 Italia, violet; Mai^garet, violet; John Raddenberrv, pale blue; White 

 Czar, white; and Princess of Wales, violet purple, the popular market 

 variety, and the best violet in cultivation. 



The pansy of to-day is a descendant of Viola tricolor, also a native of 

 Britain. Like the violet it succeeds best in cool districts, Init can be 

 grown to produce its flowers during winter and spring in any part of 

 the State. Pansies are divided into three sections, viz., the Show, Fancv, 

 and Tufted or Bedding pansy, the latter being also known by the generic 

 name Viola. The show pansies are mostly self-coloured white, black, 

 yellow, &c., and are of medium size. The most popular section here is 

 the fancy pansy, the plants being stronger, and the blooms larger and 

 more varied in their colouring and markings than the show varieties. The 

 fancy pansy is of Continental origin and has been greatly improved of 



