September l'.l, 18C7. ) 



JOUKNAL OF HORTICULTURE A.ND COTTAGE GA.BDENER. 



211 



Under favourable circamstances the plants will gro-v and 

 spread mncii. It is well not to restrain their spreading much, 

 but to allow them to grow at will until the commenoemeut of 

 September, when all runners should be removed ; and their 

 removal at this season will tend to the increased vigour of the 

 main plant, and the danger of a gross growth bo thereby 

 obviated; whilst the removal of all superfluous growths will 

 tend to the perfection of the growth and the formation of a 

 well-developed crown through the freer exposure to air and 

 Ught. 



Early in October the plants should be repotted into pots 

 (i Inches in diameter, using a compost of rather strong loam 

 from rotted turves two-thirds, and one-third leaf mould or old 

 cow or sheep dung, and to every peck of this compost adding 

 a quart of half-iuch bones. The compost should be broken 

 and made rather Hue, and the plants (being turned out of the 

 pots), need not have any of the old soil removed, nor the ball 

 interfered with in any way, except to remove the pieces of pot 

 used for drainage, leaving the sprinkling of bones at the bottom, 

 and loosening the sides of the ball a. little with the hand. 

 Good drainage being provided, a few half-inch bones over it is 

 a good thing ; and the removal of the surface soil if at all over- 

 grown with moss (being replaced with fresh soil), will induce 

 fresh growth. The soil should be made rather firm around 

 the ball, but tight potting is not to bo practised in its strict 

 sense. After potting the plants should have a good watering, 

 and be placed in a cold frame in a warm sunny situation, 

 affording them a slight shade for a few days if the days are 

 bright and the sun powerful, until they become ettablished. 

 The pots should bt.; placed on coal ashes. Notwithstanding 

 that the plants are placed in a frame, it is desirable that they 

 have abundance of iiir ; no more water than sufficient to keep 

 the soil moist, but under no circumstances wet ; no further 

 use being made of the lights than to afford them protection 

 from heavy rains and frost. In frosty weather the lights 

 should be drawn on, and a covering of mats given in addition 

 to that of the glass ; and during wet mild weather the lights 

 should be diawu on, but they should be tilted at the back. 



Thus treated the plants will be tine and strong, and many 

 of them shuwing evidence of bloom by November. The most 

 promising may then bo taken into the greenhouse, and be 

 placed near the glass in a cool airy situation, care being taken 

 not to overwater, as nothing is more baueful to Violets than a 

 sodden and sour soil ; at the same time it is necessary that 

 the soil be kept moist, aud that no water be given until the 

 soil becomes dry, then enough given to show itself at the drainage. 



A few plants draughted into the greenhouse from the frame 

 at intervals niU keep up a succession of plants for blooming, 

 and in a ruol airy position they will bloom for a great part of 

 the winter and early spring. 



After blooming, the plants .should be planted out-doors, 

 having hardened them well off either in or out of the pots in 

 a bed of good rich soil, and about 1 ft.)Ot apart, in a rather 

 shaded yet open situation, where they should be well supplied 

 with water, and be frequently watered overhead. Any choice 

 kinds may liave the protection of a frame, being potted towards 

 the close of April into four-inch pots after the reduction of the 

 ball and the removal of most of the old soil, keeping them 

 rather close and shaded for a few days until they recover the 

 potting, after which they are to bo treated in the same manner 

 as described previously for runners, transferring them to their 

 blooming pots in September, and, moving to a frame at that 

 season, they will bloom much more surely than younger plants 

 and during greater part of autumn and winter. 



There are other and more simple moans of growing Violets 

 for blooming in pots. The runners are taken otT when suffi- 

 ciently rooted, which is usually at the close of May or early in 

 June, and planted in an open situation iu ground wuU dug and 

 otherwise properly prepared by the addition of leaf mould or 

 thoroughly decomposed manure, but not so much of the last 

 as to make the soil very rich, as when this is the case the 

 plants grow luxuriant more than sturdy, which is essential for 

 a well-developed head or crown. They may be planted in lines 

 15 inches apart, and '.) to 12 inches from plant to plant. They 

 are best planted in showery weather ; or, if the weather be dry, 

 a slight shade given from bright sun and watering will be 

 beneficial and necessary. The after-tieatment is keeping the 

 soil well stirred between the roots, the giving of water during 

 dry periods, and the removal of all suckers and runners ; but 

 it is not well to keep the latter very (closely cropped off, as by 

 allowing them to grow to some extent the plants will the sooner 

 became established, and form a better root aud head. The 



runners therefore should be allowed to grow for a time, and 

 then remove all close. And this holds good through the season. 

 Allow the runners to grow some length, but do not allow them 

 to root nor to grow until they cannot be distinguished from 

 the original plants, for that is going to the opposite extreme. 

 Early in October the plants may be taken tip with a ball and 

 be potted iu pots that are of a size sulficient to hold them 

 comfortably. After potting a good watering should be given, 

 and the plants placed in a cold frame, keeping them rather 

 close and shaded for a few days until they recover the potting ; 

 afterwards they cannot have too much air nor light, with pro- 

 tection from frost and cold heavy rains. It is hardly necessary 

 to add they will be in a fit state for placing in a cool house by 

 November, and with a very moderate amount of forcing they 

 will flower at an early season — a succession being kept up by 

 placing more within the house at intervals of a fortnight or 

 three weeks, or longer or shorter intervals, according to the 

 demand. 



It is not unusual to apply the term " Forcing" to cultivation 

 of Violets in pots. Now, Violets are of all plants that I know 

 most impatient of heat, and none are sooner injured by it. 

 To bring on Violets rapidly is only seeking a tuft of leaves and 

 a show of buds that turn yellow but do not form flowers. 

 They should not, therefore, be subjected to a high temperature. 

 A cool greenhouse from which frost is no more than excluded 

 is a sufficient excitement to begin with ; and at no time ought 

 the temperature to exceed 45° to 50° at night, and not that 

 until the plants have been a fortnight, or from that to a month 

 (the longer the better), in a cool house. The lightest and 

 most airy situation and close to the glass is the best place for 

 them. They ought not to be at a greater distance from the 

 glass than 15 inches, aud need not be nearer than '.' inches. 

 Prior to placing the plauts in the greenhouse or other house 

 I the pots should be clean washed, the surface of the soil stirred, 

 with a piece of wood removing any moss, and adding a little 

 fresh soil if necessary. All the old and yellow leaves should 

 be nipped off; aud any that show traces of red spider should 

 bo dusted on the under side with a powder formed by mixing 

 equal quantities of dry soot and flowers of sulphur together. 



Violets are very subject to attacks of red spider both in the 

 open air and under glass. The preventive is to keep them 

 well supplied with water, and to paint the inside of the frame 

 or pit with a mixture of soot and sulphur brought to the con- 

 sistency of cream with water. The worst infested leaves should 

 be nipped off, and the others dusted with soot and sulphur in 

 equal parts. 



•Mildew is occasionally troublesome. The leaves most at- 

 tacked should bo nipped off, and the whole of the plants be 

 dusted with flowers of sulphur. — G. Abbey, 



EXHIBITION ROSES FOR IRELAND. 



" W. H. JI." wishes me to name from forty to fifty varieties 

 for dwarfs and for exhibition, for the banks of the Shannon. 

 He says, " The average rainfall is H't inches, and the soil is 

 cold, with a gravelly subsoil." Under such circumstances I re- 

 commend the Manetti stock, and such Roses as are hardy and 

 free bloomers. 



Acbille Gouod. Alfred Colomb, Anna Alexieff, Baron Adolpbe 

 de liothschild, Baronne Prevost, Caroline de Sansal, Charles 

 hetobvre, Charles llouillard, Comte de Naiiteuil, Comtesse 

 Cliabrillant, Ur. Andry, Due de Cuzes, Duke of Wellington, 

 Euai'ne Verdier, Francois Lacharme, Gabriel Peyronny, Gloire 

 de Vitry (own roots), .Tolin Hopper, Jules Margottin, Lady 

 Sufiield, La Duchesse de Morny, La Ville de St. Denis, J^ord 

 Mscaulay, Madame Boutin, Madame C. Crapelet, ^ladame Boll, 

 Madame C. Wood, JIadame Clemeuce Joi>;neaux, Madame 

 Julie Daran, Madame Freeman, Madame Moreau, Madame 

 Victor Verdier, Marechal Vaillant, Marguerite de St. Amand, 

 Maurice Bernardin, Monsieur de Montigny, Pierre Netting, 

 Prince Camille de Ilohan, Senateur Vaisse, Souvenir de Dr. 

 Jumain, Vicomte Vigier, Victor Verdier, W. Griffiths, Baron 

 Gonella, Baronne de Maynard, and Marguerite Bonnet. 



The following have been blooming splendidly on the Manetti 

 stock here — Scrur des Anges, Duchesse d'Orleans, Madame 

 Vidot, and Madame Kivers. They are superb here, but I must 

 leave them "an open question." Yellow Roses are essential 

 for a good show-box. I recommend Gloire de Dijon, C61ine 

 Forestier, Triomphe de Rennes, and Mait'chal Niel. The 

 following Tea Itoses, when well grown, will greatly help to- 

 wards a prize, they are most beautiful Roses: — Adam, De- 



