58 THE GARDEN 



spray all one's plants very early in their lives, and thus make sure 

 that any young insects have been well dosed. It is worse than useless t» 

 wait until bud, blossom and leaves have been attacked. 



THE VIOLET 



The sweet violet of old England (viola odorata) is the parent plant 

 of the many single and double varieties that glorify and perfume our gar- 

 dens from April's earliest warming days. By assiduous cultivation, 

 plants have been produced whose blossoms are remarkable for their 

 immense size, for the depth and individuality of their coloring, and for 

 their rare and subtle fragrance. 



Most of these varieties are entirely hardy and quite easily managed 

 in any ordinary garden bed. Indeed, it is not at all difficult, especially 

 in moderate climates, to have healthy bloom of some description, 

 from the open garden, all the year round — straight thru autumn, in the 

 sunny stretches of winter, and in countless numbers from beds blue 

 with them in spring. This, of course, with the help of hotbed and cold 

 frame. 



The commonest of our native viol-ets is viola cucullata, the ordinary 

 blue violet. Found roaming here and there and everywhere along our 

 roadsides, embroidering meadow, lowland and upland, climbing up 

 steep hills and down shady ravines, hiding coyly in cool nooks and corners 

 beside brooks and streams, its bright blue blossom is dear to the 

 heart of every little urchin, on the hunt for wild flowers, almost 

 before the last traces of winter have vanished. Rich in color as 

 abundant in blossom, it is, however, not so strongly fragrant as other 

 varieties. The clean, refreshing green leaves, heart shaped, saw edged, 

 are folded inwards when first put forth, and the five-petalled, bluish- 

 purple, golden-hearted, are surely too familiar for more detailed 

 description. 



The horned violet (viola cornuta) is a tufted perennial with diffuse 

 stems whose hybrid forms are the bedding violets for the florists, ex- 

 ceedingly easy of cultivation, and blooming luxuriantly all thru the 

 summer. 



A FEW ODDS AND ENDS 



The cheapest and by far the best way to work up a good reliable stock 

 of perennials is to grow them from seed for yourself. 



We warned everyone long ago to watch for the most beautiful and 

 most perfect blooms in the garden, lo mark these, so that, when gone to 

 seed, you would know just which was which, and to gather these seeds 

 for the beginning of a new stock. 



These seeds, of course, were planted some weeks ago, and should be 

 showing above ground and getting on a few leaves. They should be large 

 enough by September to transplant into their permanent beds. 



Get this transplanting done at once, so that the moved plants will 

 have plenty of time to send out new, strong roots, and get settled com- 

 fortably in their new quarters before the rigors of winter try them. 



We hope everyone will try some "Gold Dust" this year, that is "alys- 

 sum saxatile"; also some rock cress, "arabis albida." These should hay* 

 been planted some weeks ago, as we warned everybody. 



THE WALLFLOWER 



A plant that is not so well known (especially among city gardeners> 

 as it should be, isi the old-fashioned wall-flower, loved of old by our 



