1942 



VIOLA 



date-ovate and usually acuminate obtusely serrate, the 

 stipules large and laciniate: fls. large, pale blue, tt 

 "Kate- obtuse petals standing well apart the spur 

 half or more as long as the petals and acute, b. J^u. 

 B M 791 -Frequently seen in gardens and much prized 

 for its large, bright flowers. Good for spring bloom. 

 Hardy. There are several colors, represented in Alba, 

 Purpurea, Mauve Queen and Papilio. The last has 

 very large flowers, violet in color, with small dark eye. 

 Fig. 2685. 



AA. Plant annual, or imperfectly perennial in culti- 

 vation. 



tricolor, Linn. PANSY. HEARTSEASE. Figs. 1634, 

 1635 Glabrous or nearly so, the stems becoming long 

 and 'branched: Ivs. cordate or round-cordate, those of 

 the stem becoming lanceolate, all stalked and crenate- 

 dentate, the stipules 

 large and laciniate: 

 fls. large, usually 

 about three colors 

 represented (except 

 in highbred self va- 

 rieties), the spur 

 short and inconspic- 

 uous. Eu. When 

 strayed from culti- 

 vation, the flowers 

 become small and 

 lose the markings 

 characteristic of the 

 highbred Pansies. A 

 small - flowered field 

 form, thought by 

 some to be indige- 

 nous to this country 

 as well as to Europe, 

 is var. arv6nsis, DC. 

 See Pansy. 



Following are 

 North American Vi- 

 olas that have been 

 offered to the trade : 

 A. Blue Violets 

 (sometimes run- 

 ning into .white 

 and s triped 

 forms ) . 



BeckwitMi, Torr. 

 & Gray. Nevada, 

 Calif., Oregon. 



Canadensis, Linn. 

 Very pale violet or 

 almost white. Gen- 

 erally distributed. 



canina, Linn., var. Muhlenbergii, Trautv. (V. canina, 

 var. sylvestris, Regel). Minn., east. Var. adunca, 

 Gray ( V. adunca, Smith). Mostly western. 



cognata, Greene. Offered in Colorado. 



Hallii, Gray. Calif, and Oregon. 



palmata, Linn. ( V. cucullata, v&r. palmata, Hort.). 

 Eastern states. 



Var. cucullata, Gray ( V. cucullata, Ait. V. obliqua, 

 Hill). Figs. 2681, 2682. On the Atlantic slope. By Brit- 

 ton & Brown regarded as a distinct species for which 

 Hill's name V. obliqua (1769) is used rather than 

 Alton's V. cucullata (1789). The commonest Violet in 

 the northeastern states. V. obliqua, var. striata, is a 

 striped form now in the trade, and not uncommon wild. 

 There are forms known as vars. picta and variegata. 

 One of the most variable species in stature, form of 

 leaves, and color of flowers. It is easily colonized in 

 the garden. 



pedata, Linn., Bird's-foot Violet, and one of the hand- 

 somest species. Sandy soil, Atlantic states and west to 

 Ind. Terr, and Minn. It runs into very distinct forms. 



Var. bicolor, Pursh. Two upper petals much darker. 



Var. alba, Hort. Flowers nearly white. 



rostrata, Muhl. Michigan, east. 



sayittata, Ait. Minn, and Texas, east. Var. picta, 

 Hort., has striped flowers. 



SelkirJeii, Pursh Northeastern states and Canada. 



Mnervata, Howoll. Washington. 



2684. Viola odorata (XI). 



VIOLET 



AA. White Violets. 



blanda, Willd. Fig. 2686. Low places, across the 

 continent. Pretty little species, fragrant. Var. retii- 

 folia, Gray. Northeastern states and Canada. 



lanceolata, Linn. Nova Scotia to Florida and Texas. 



primultefolia, Linn. Canada to Florida and Louisiana. 



striata, Ait. Yellowish white. Mo., east. 



AAA. Yellow Violets. 



glabella, Nutt Rocky Mts. to Calif, and Alaska. 

 'lobata, Benth. Calif., Oregon. 

 Nuttallii, Pursh. Kans. to Calif, and north. 

 pedunculata, Gray. California seeds are gathered for 

 export. 



pubescens, Ait. Fig. 2687. Dakota, east and south. 

 rotundifolia, Michx. Nova Scotia to N. Car. 

 sarmentosa, Dougl. Idaho to British Columbia and 



Calif. 



STieltowii, Torr. 

 Calif, to Washington. 



L. H. B. 



VIOLET. Commer- 

 cial Cultivation. 

 The Violet probably 

 ranks third in com- 

 mercial importance 

 among florists' flow- 

 ers in America. It 

 has risen greatly in 

 horticultural import- 

 ance within recent 

 years. The Violet 

 season is only about 

 seven months, while 

 the season of roses 

 and carnations is 

 fully nine months. 

 As with the other 

 leading flower crops, 

 roses, carnations 

 and chrysanthe- 

 mums, the Violet 

 requires very close 

 attention the year 

 round. Though Vio- 

 lets require no stak- 

 ing, tying or disbud- 

 ding, other laborious 

 practices are neces- 



\ \ sary. The status of 



\\ Violet culture has 



been below that of 



the other important 

 florists' flowers as 

 regards general care and efficiency of management, 

 and consequently quality of product. For many years 

 a crop worth millions of dollars annually was raised 

 with scarcely any discussion in the trade papers con- 

 cerning methods. There are national societies devoted 

 to the rose, carnation and chrysanthemum, but none to 

 the Violet. So low had the interest sunk in Violet cul- 

 ture on its professional side that the "Violet disease" 

 was spoken of by the florists as if it were only one 

 thing, whereas there are at least eight distinct and im- 

 portant kinds of troubles that devastate Violet plants. At 

 last the tide has turned. The various diseases have been 

 investigated by scientists, especially those of the Divi- 

 sion of Vegetable Physiology and Pathology, in the U. S. 

 Department of Agriculture, and there is considerable 

 free literature available concerning the nature of these 

 diseases and the methods of controlling them. The 

 wonderful success of certain Violet specialists has awak- 

 ened general interest and emulation. Violet culture now 

 receives something like its proper share of attention in 

 the trade papers. The practical experiments in Violet 

 culture by Galloway and Dorsett, based upon a knowl- 

 edge of plant diseases, the introduction of the cyanide 

 method of fumigation, a rigorous system of plant-breed- 

 ing and a close study of actual market conditions have 

 had an important influence in raising the standard of 

 commercial Violet culture. 



There is a popular impression that Violets are an easy 



