8o PRESENT-DAY GARDENING 



VIOLET CULTURE OUT-OF-DOORS 



The first things to consider are aspect and soil. In most 

 localities in Britain, but not all, the plants succeed best in 

 a north or north-west position at any rate during the 

 summer months, because they do not like exposure to much 

 sunshine. These aspects are not conducive to early flower- 

 ing, but this can be got over by transplanting some of the 

 plants in September to a more sunny position even a 

 border under a south wall. The soil should be of a fairly 

 retentive character, for Violets require moist, cool condi- 

 tions ; and it should be fairly well enriched with thoroughly 

 decayed manure. If the manuring is excessive or the 

 manure too fresh and strong, its effect will be to produce 

 extra vigorous foliage, which is not desirable. The soil 

 should be tilled deeply, whatever system of manuring is 

 adopted. 



Propagation is effected by offsets (or runners), cuttings, 

 or by division of the crowns ; division being more 

 generally practised. This is done directly after the plants 

 have flowered, by taking them up and sorting out the 

 young but well-rooted crowns, rejecting the old, woody 

 stems which are unfit for planting. The younger crowns 

 are planted at distances of about 12 inches apart each 

 way. If the soil has been treated as described above, a 



