PREFACE. 



Violet growing as a business has not received the 

 attention given to some other crops. This is prob- 

 ably due to the fact that the violet as generally 

 grown is less profitable than the rose, carnation, or 

 even the chrysanthemum. More people have em- 

 barked in this business and failed than is the case 

 with any other crop, and for this reason we believe 

 that it is one of the most promising fields for the 

 young, energetic, and intelligent man to enter. Who- 

 ever enters it, however, must recognize at the start 

 that there are many difficulties, and that to be suc- 

 cessful means much labor, patience, and determina- 

 tion to overcome all obstacles. The knowledge 

 necessary to succeed can come only through expe- 

 rience. Reading will help, but without the ability 

 to apply what is learned by reading little progress 

 can be made. We have gone over this ground 

 pretty thoroughly, and in looking back can see that 

 our experience in many cases was dearly bought. 

 To save others from making mistakes that fell to our 

 lot we have in some instances made statements 

 which might be considered as dogmatic. We have 

 done this for the reason that we were many times 

 led away by general statements, which, had they 



