438 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



The Best Way to Grow Violets * 



WM. FINDLAY, BRAMPTON, ONT, 



AFTER growing violets for ten years I 

 find I am learning their habits better 

 every year. Sand rooted cuttings are the 

 best, as the grower gets a young sappy 

 growth to start plants from. I root my 

 violets very slowly, taking runners from 

 only the best plants of both the single and 

 double varieties, especially the latter. Stock 

 should n.€ver be taken from a poor plant, 

 and only the strongest runners should be 

 selected. After the cuttings are well rooted 

 prick them oflf on a bench, but not so close 

 together that they will be crowded when 

 planting out time comes. My method is to 

 plant singles in the field in May and doubles 

 in the bed where they are going to stay for 

 the next season's crop. I have found to my 

 sorrow that the double violet is a very slow 

 root actor. This is not the case with the 

 singles, as it is hard to kill them. 



Violets require good drainage. More 

 violets are spoiled by over watering than 

 through lack of water. Never let the plants 

 go to bed damp. Water only on bright 

 days. Keep the house at from 38 to 40 de- 

 grees if good color and plenty of fragrance 

 are desired. 



A good violet should have a stem 12 to 14 

 inches long, with a bloom not smaller than 

 a half dollar. The stem should hold the 

 bloom upright. If a grower desires quan- 

 tity, not quality, the greenhouse should be 

 kept at 48 to 50 degrees. This will result 

 in plenty of nice foliage and pale blooms 

 with weak stems. I plant doubles 9 to 10 

 inches apart and singles 10 to 12 inches, ac- 

 cording to the size of the plants. I have 

 often been asked what a good cut for my 

 house is from February i to February 29. 

 This year I cut 64,775 violets, and next sea- 

 son I expect to have four times as many. 



♦Paper read at the annual convention of the 

 Canadian Horticultural Association held in 

 Ottawa during August. 



Something About 'Mums 



I'^O obtain the best results with chrysan- 

 themums they should, according to 

 Mr. E. Dale, foreman of the extensive 

 greenhouses on the Dale Estate, of Bramp- 

 ton, be benched in the latter part of June. 

 After that they must be watered freely and 

 never allowed to become thoroughly dry. 

 Tt is also very important that the t)ing up 

 should be attended to, never allowing them 

 to lop over. 



" I plant my chrysanthemums," said Mr. 

 Dale, to The Horticulturist recently, " six 

 inches apart each way, and find that at this 

 space two good blooms can be grown to the 

 plant. When the plants are in good free 

 growth I pinch back and afterwards leave 

 the two best breaks that are made. As soon 

 as the buds are formed I use a liberal sup- 

 ply of manure-water once a week. After 

 this I watch carefully to see that the bud- 

 dmg is done properly and that only one 

 bloom is left to each stem. 



" When handled in this way, chrysanthe- 

 mums bloom from September 15 to Decem- 

 ber. The black aphis is a very troublesome 

 pest here and can only be kept in check by 

 spraying frequently with nicotine solution. 

 My leading varieties for commercial pur- 

 poses are: Glory of Pacific, Polly Rose, 

 and Fitzwygram for the early ; Ivory, Ivory 

 Rose, Henderson and Lager for the mixed 

 season; Vivian Morel, Nivens, Timothy 

 Eaton and Whilliden for the late ; and 

 Merry Christmas, Autumn Glory, W. H. 

 Charwick and Polar Queen for the very late 

 varieties." 



Flower culture is worthy of a place in the 

 tnoughts of those who have the welfare of 

 any community at heart. A few flowers, 

 carefully attended, in the window, or patch 

 of garden, show love of the beautiful and 

 sweet, and are a helpful factor in the fulfill- 

 ment of social duties. 



