314 Encyclopaedia of Gardening 



wrong through an attack of red spider, but that rarely happens if 

 they are kept supplied with water as required, and air when the 

 weather is fine. If they show signs of weakness they may be stimu- 

 lated with weekly doses of liquid manure. In spring they may be 

 lifted and divided, if they are varieties of tufted habit, the portions 

 being planted in rich soil in a cool place, where they will soon 

 establish themselves and grow into forcing plants by September. 

 They will not thrive in hot, dry, poor soil in a sun-scorched spot. 

 Some sorts throw out runners, and these may be pegged to the soil 

 and transplanted when rooted. Colonies of Violets should be 

 established in shady, cool parts of the garden and left to flower 

 naturally. The following are splendid varieties of the Sweet Violet : 



Comte de Brazza, double white 



Kaiser Wilhelm, single purple 

 La France, single violet 



Marie Louise, double lavender 

 Princess of Wales, large single 

 blue 



The tufted Pansies are good for carpeting beds of standard Roses, 

 or for mixing with bedding plants; also for forming margins. If 

 put out in April, and picked over weekly, they will bloom all the 

 summer. They may be propagated in autumn by cuttings, like 

 the larger Pansies. For other notes and select varieties, see Pansy. 

 Viola tricolor is the Pansy or Heart' s-ease (see Pansy) . A few species 

 of Viola are charming for the rockery, notably biflora, yellow, early 

 summer, 3 ins. (Botanical Magazine, t. 2089) ; calcarata, blue, 

 spring, 6 ins.; cornuta, blue, late spring, 6 ins. (Bot. Mag., t. 791); 

 cucullata, violet, spring, 6 ins. (Bot. Mag., t. 1795); gracilis r 

 purple, 6 ins., spring; and pedata, blue, spring, 6 ins. (Bot. Mag., 

 t. 89). There are white varieties of several. They will thrive in 

 most soils, if not hot and dry, but a fertile, friable loam is best. 

 Propagation is by seed under glass in winter in a warm house, 

 pricking off and hardening preparatory to planting out; by division 

 in spring, and by cuttings in a frame in early autumn. 



Violet, African, Saintpaulia ionantha. 



Violet, Bog, Pinguicula. 



Violet, Dame's, Hesperis matronalis. 



Violet, Dog's, Viola canina. 



Violet, Dog's Tooth, Erythronium Dens Cam's. 



Violet, Water, Hottonia palustris. 



Viper's Bugloss, Echium. 



Viper's Grass, Scorzonera hispanica. 



Virginian Cowslip, Mertensia virginica. 



Virginian Creeper. This is the Ampelopsis hederacea or Vitis in- 

 constans of the botanists; the latter is the modern name of Veitch's 

 Virginian Creeper, which was formerly known as Ampelopsis 

 Veitchii. It is a much better plant than A. hederacea less coarse, 

 less rampant ; it clings closely by means of small, sucker-like shoots 

 that exude a kind of resin and give it a tight hold on masonry. The 

 foliage is smaller than that of hederacea, and turns bright red in 

 autumn before falling. The Virginian Creepers will thrive in most 

 soils, but in shallow, dry soils they are a good while getting estab- 



