320 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 
in diameter. In putting them into the large pots, the balls of soil must undergo 
some little reduction to admit of their being nicely arranged. A compost consisting 
of good turfy loam and thoroughly decayed manure is the most snitable for 
producing a vigorous growth. The plants put into each pot must consist of one 
variety, for mixtures lack effectiveness, and moreover proclaim the fact that more 
than one plant has been employed in building up the specimen. Plants lifted now 
from the flower-beds, put into small pots, and kept in the greenhouse, will be found 
most useful for the formation of large specimens in the spring. It may be added 
that the formation of specimers from single plants isa work of some years, and that 
those consisting of several examples are in every way as effective, although they 
would not be suitable for competitive purposes in the exhibition tent. 
A Subscriber, Wolverton Park.—The plant, of which you saw considerable 
numbers in Paris Jast summer, was probably one of the single Pyrethrums. They 
grow in much the same manner as described in your letter, and the flowers also 
are similar to those of the plant you mention. Pyrethrums may be obtained of 
Mr. T. 8. Ware, Hale Farm Nurseries, Tottenham, or of any nurserymen who make 
a speciality of hardy herbaceous plants. 
VioLeTs AND FEerns.—G. H. D., Crosshill.—The old bed of violets should be 
broken up, and the strongest runners selected, and a new ted be made with them. 
The soil must be enriched moderately with manure, and be broken up with the 
spade or fork to a depth of about twelve inches. The runners should be put about 
six inches apart, in rows, with a space of ten inches or so between them. The 
sporting of the ferns cannot well be prevented. 
Crocusss.— K. F'.—These early-flowering bulbous plants may, as the examples 
presented at the public exhibitions abundantly testify, be grown must successfully 
in pots for the decoration of the conservatory. The pots must, after a few crocks 
have been placed in the bottom, be filled with a mixture of loam and leaf-mould 
or loam and manure. Then proceed to insert the bulbs regularly and rather thickly 
over the surface, and when this has been accomplished, place the pots on a hard 
surface out-of-doors, and cover them with a good layer of ashes. They must remain 
covered until the pots are nicely filled with roots, and then be removed to a pit or 
frame, where they can be kept safe from frost ; and the frame must, excepting in 
frosty weather, be freely ventilated. Tbe named Dutch varieties only possess 
sufficient merit to be grown in pots. Hight of the best and most distinct are :— 
Large Golden Yellow, the finest of all the yellow forms ; Charles Dickens, purple ; 
Lilacinus supertus, azure blue; Mont Blanc, pure white; Pride of Albion, white- 
striped violet ; Ne Plus Ultra, lilac-purple , Sir Walter Scott, beautifully-pencilled * 
lilac ; and Vulcan, purple-lilac. As the flowers do not remain in perfection for 
any considerable period, we would not advise you to grow a very large stock. 
Viotets ror Winter Frowerinc.—Amateur.—A plentiful supply of violets 
may be obtained by the following course of procedure, as you have a large bed of 
strong plants to draw from. First of all make up a bed three or four feet high of 
leaves as soon they can be obtained. Place a frame upon the bed, and inside 
cf this cover the leaves with about eight inches of friable soil. The size of the bed 
must be regulated by the frame, but it should exceed the latter by about three 
feet both in length and breadth. Strong clumps must be lifted from the bed and 
planted rather close together in rows, about ten inches apart. The frame will 
require ventilating moderately in weather favourable to air giving, and in frosty 
weather mats or some other protecting materials must be placed over the glass. 
Fermenting materials other than leaves may be employed, providing they will not 
give off too great a heat. A genial warmth at the roots is all that is required, and 
if the bed is too hot the plants will be more or less injured. 
Winter CrocusEs.—Jnquirer.—The winter-flowering crocuses, altliough they 
do not produce flowers of such a large size as the Dutch varieties flowering in the 
spring, are exceedingly beautiful, and well deserve to be planted in suitable posi- 
tions as extensively as their comparatively high price will admit. They should be 
planted as far as practicable in sheltered nooks, and where they are likely to be 
readily seen. The most beautiful of the winter-flowering species are Crocus 
Imperati, violet, fawn, and black ; C. Oliveri, orange yellow ; C. Sieberi, violet. 
Asthe bulbs range in price from sixpence to a shilling each, these species should 
only be planted on warm, dry soils, and in select positions, where they can be 
depended upon to bloom satisfactorily, and the flowers scen to the best advantage, 
