VIOLET 



1943 



Papilio (X K). 



crop to grow. This is true only of blooms of ordinary 

 quality aud only as regards the total amount of work 

 required per year as compared with a crop of roses, car- 

 nations or chrysanthemums. The best Violets are pro- 

 duced only under the best conditions, and it is a singu- 

 lar fact that many persons who have thought they had 

 mastered Violet culture after a few years' success have 

 failed subsequently. The Violet is still everywhere 

 grown by local florists, but good Violet culture has been 

 the latest to attain a high degree of specialization. The 

 present status of the subject is admirably presented in 

 (Talloway's Commercial Violet Culture, New York, 1899. 

 Varieties, — From Viola odorata, a species indigenous 

 to Europe, parts of Asia and Japan, many cultivated 

 sorts, both single and double, and of different colors, 

 have been derived. The varieties most highly prized 

 and of the greatest commercial value to American flor- 

 ists are, in the order named: of the double varieties, 

 Marie Louise (Fig. 2688), Farquhar, Imperial, New York 

 (Fig. 2C90),and King of Violets, dark blue flowers; Lady 

 Hume Campbell, Neapolitan (Fig. 2689) and De Parme, 

 light blue; Swanley White (Fig. 2691), i;>„pp„ of Vio- 

 lets and Belle de Chatenay, white, an.l .■M:,.laiii.- Mill.-t. 

 Odorata Rubra and Double Ked, red ..r pink, ni iIh- 

 single sort the Tarieties most highly pii/.i a :iic, in tlie 

 order named: California, Princesse de (l.-illt-s, l>ux(Hnie 

 and La France, purple; White Czar and Rawson's 

 White, white, and single red or pink. 



Propagation. — lu commercial Violet growing, plants 

 are propagated jchiefly in four ways: ( 1 1 Hy cuttings 3 

 or 4 in. long, made from well-(l*-vrlnp,Ml runners and 

 rooted in clean, sharp sand; (21 !■> .Ii\ isiciri-. njade by 

 taking up the old plants, usuall\- nth-r lli.wcring has 

 ceased, and separating them, all ilivisinns witli old roots 

 anil liard wikmIv sli-nis luin;; liiscardid, and the young, 



wi-ll -ninic.l -^ ii-an^|il:uit.d :; ,,r 1 in. apart each way, 



and wati-rril ami ^iiaiiiii lur a li-w ila\."^, until they are 

 wi-ll i-srai.lishr.l, «iM-n liny i-an l,r liiii-il with a ball of 

 earth anil >it w li.nr ili- 1 inl ; i :; i i.\ i-ii: tings made from 

 youirir. unnnitiil n.iunv ,,r divi-Lin^ .,( the old plant 



the HuHi-riiiL; plant, ami nii.tiil in rli-aii, sharp sand, as 

 in the ca.se uf runui.r.s; i4) by reniuving well-rooted 

 or offshoots, without disturb- 

 nd caring for them the same as 



young uivisions, crown; 

 ing the flowering plant ! 

 divisions made in spring. 



Soil.— As a rule, Violets do well in any good, well- 

 enriched soil. The best results, however, are obtained 

 from soil prepared from sod taken from a rather heavy, 

 sandy loam that is well drained and capable of retaining 

 and giving up an abundance of moisture at all times. 

 The soil to be used in the Violet house, stationary frame, 

 or in pots, should be prepared the previous fall. From 

 a suitable loam, strip off the sod to a depth of 3 or 4 in.; 

 compost this with well-rotted manure, preferably cow 

 manure, and pile in alternate layers of from 6 to 8 in. 

 of sod and 2 to 3 inches of manure. In this condition 



2686. Viola blanda(X 1) 



2687 Viola pubescens ' 



let it .stand exposed to the neathei until spiing. and 

 then, just before it is to be used, chop down and add 

 pure bonemeal at the rate of 27 ounces per cubic yard of 

 soil, after which work over several times, or until the 

 whole is thoroughly pulverized and mixed, when it is 

 ready for use. For movable frame culture, scatter from 

 1 to 2 in. of well-rotted manure over the s,„l in the fall, 

 then turn umler l.v s|,a.lin- i.r ,lei |. pli.win-, and in 

 that coTi.litii.il I. 't it stand exp..se,l t..tl,.. a.-ti..n of the 

 weather until spriii.;,'. Jnst before j.laiilin,i; time plow 

 again, top-dress with pure bonemeal at tlie rate of 6 

 ounces per square yard of soil, and harrow or work over. 



Methods of Culture. — Among American florists four 

 methods of growing Violets are in common use; viz., 

 field and house culture, house culture, frame culture 

 with or without artificial heat, and pot culture, the extent 

 to which they are used being in the order named. 



Field and house culture: Early in the spring the young 

 plants are set in the field and cultivated during the sum- 

 mer. Some time in September or October they are lifted 

 with a ball of earth and tra-nsplanted into beds or benches 

 in the house, where they bloom during the winter. 



House culture: The plants are grown under glass, 

 either on benches or in suliil beils, during the entire 

 season. This metli...l -le.ul.l t.Ke the place of all 

 others, for with ir the \er\- K. sr .-.in.litions and closest 

 attention can be triven the plants at all times, and as 



