Violet 



( 431 ) 



Virginian Stock 



Miniature or Violetta Varieties : 



Blanche. Gold Crest. Violetta. 



Blush (jueen. Picotee. 



VIOLET. 



Description. Amongst British plants none has a 

 greater popularity or is more universally admired 

 than the .Sweet Violet. The Dog Violet grows in 

 shady places, and does not appear to be fasti- 

 dious in respect of soil. 



Propagation. liy runners, much in the same 

 inatiiMT as is adopted with Strawberries. The 

 number of runners should be strictly limited, so as 

 to ensure strength in those retained. To leave all 

 the runners means a mass of weak, spindly growths, 

 whieh rarely make satisfactory plants. The run- 

 ners should be pegged down into the soil between 

 the plants, and in a few weeks will be well rooted 

 if the soil is kept pleasantly moist. Some varieties 

 are best propagated by division. 



Soil. A medium sandy loam, of considerable 

 depth, is the best for Violets. If poor, decayed 

 manure must be incorporated with it; and if heavy, 

 an abundance of gritty matter should be worked 

 in, as the plants are frequently unsatisfactory in a 

 stiff, adhesive medium. Immediately prior to 

 planting, the soil should be deeply dug, and sub- 

 sequently made moderately firm. The smaller 

 growing varieties should be 10" asunder all ways, 

 and those of more robust growth, like some of the 

 comparatively modern singles, are best 15" apart. 



Summer Culture. This consists of planting the 

 stock in April or May on a cool, deeply worked 

 border, which, although well open to the light, is 

 sheltered from briu'ht sunshine; and in keeping 

 the plants well supplied with moisture, frequently 

 syringing them to guard against red spider. 

 Mulch with spent Mushroom bed manure, and in 

 the case of plants required to flower in pots or 

 frames during winter, prevent the formation of 

 runners. 



Winter Culture. Brick pits or well-made wooden 

 frames are needed to secure the best results, and 

 they should face south or south-east, so that the 

 plants in them may receive ample light. About 

 the middle of September place a quantity of well- 

 turned stable litter, mixed with leaves, in the 

 frame or pit, leaving room for 6" of soil, so that 

 after planting tlie Violets come within a few inches 

 of the glass. Lift and plant the strongest 

 crowns in the frames at the end of September or 

 arly in October, and guard against any delay 

 between lifting and planting. Water well, and 

 keep the frame rather close for a week, until the 

 plants have recovered from the check. Afterwards 

 admit air freely, removing the lights altogether on 

 line days, and only keeping them quite stint during 

 very severe frost or dense fog. Prevent runner 

 formation, frequently stir the surface soil, remove 

 damped or broken foliage as soon as detected, pick 

 the flowers at least, every other day, and protect 

 the plants by means of garden mats when neces- 

 sary. 



Violets in Pots. Pot culture is but a modifica- 

 tion of that already advised. Bemove the plants 

 from the frame to a cool greenhouse for the winter, 

 :md place them in the conservatory when llower- 

 ing freely. 



Enemies. Red spider is the worst, but it need 

 not be feared if cool, moist conditions are pro- 

 vided. Several species of Fungi attack Violets, 



more especially those grown in a close atmosphere. 

 I'uccinia Violse is the worst of these, and when 

 the stock is thoroughly infested with it the case is 

 hopeless. The grower should root up and burn the 

 plants, and not use the soil again for Violets. 

 Spraying with sulphide of potassium (1 oz. to 

 '> gallons of water) serves as a preventive if used 

 at brief interval.-, but tlie-'best method of .preven- 

 tion is careful cultivation, i.e. strong plants to start 

 with, and, subsequently, conditions that ensure 

 linn, sturdy growth. 



A Selection of Varieties : 



Single Flon'ered : 



California, bl., long stems. Princess of Wales, vio., 



Czar, deep bl. ; flue for pur., long stems, very 



win. sweet, 



devoniensis, bl., free. wellsiana, rounded, vio. 



La France, rounded pur. 



flowers, vio. hi. White Czar, wh. 



Double Floivered : 



Comte de Brazza, wh. Mrs. J. J. Astor, rosy pur 



de Panne, lavender. Neapolitan, mauve, wh. 



Marie Louise, lavender, centre. 



wh. ; the finest for New York, mauve, very 



win. flowering. sweet. 



Millie. B. Barron, rkhbl., Queen, wh., flushed ro. 



very free. 



VIRGILIA. 



The only species (ord. Leguminosse) is a green- 

 house tree, propagated by cuttings of the half- 

 ripened shoots in sand, in a close case, in spring, 

 also by seeds ; and thriving in a compost of equal 

 parts of loam and peat, with sand. 



Only Species : 

 aurea (now Calpnrnia instrusa (now Calpuraia 



lasiogyne). intrusa). 



capensis, Jy., rosy pur., lutea (now Cladrastis 



Ivs. with six to ten pairs tinctoria). . 



of leaflets (.//. Po- 



dalyiia cupeusis). 



VIRGINIAN CREEPER (see AMPEL- 

 OPSIS and VITIS). 



VIRGINIAN STOCK (see MALCOMIA 



MAHITIMA). 



I iolet. Adder's ((loodyera pnbeseens). 

 Violet, Afrirtiii ,wr ^nintjiaiilia). 

 Violet, Hog (gee I'ingiiieiila). 

 Violet, ('ape (see I mii din ni). 

 Violet, Corn (Hpeeiila-ria liybrida). 

 Violet, Dame's (tee llesperis matronal!*). 

 Violet, Dog's (see Viola canina). 

 I 'iolet. Day's Tooth (see Erythronium Dens- 

 en nis). 



Violet, False (Kiibns Dalibarda). 

 Violel, Foreign (see Si'lnreiggeria). 

 Violet, Fringed (see Tjiysanotus). 

 I iolet, Mereiiry's (see ('nin/niniilii Medium). 

 Violet, itpurless (see Viola liederacca). 

 Violet, Tongue (see Xrlnreiggera). 

 Violet, \\nler (see llottimia paliistris). 

 Viper (ronril (Trielioxontlies Anguina). 

 V.per's liiiifluss ''see l-jehitlin). 

 Viper's llnifs (see Heorzanera liispanica). 

 Virei/ii see Illinilodendron). 

 \'irgininn Coirslip (see Mertmsia rirginiea). 

 Virginian I'o/te Weed (see I'lnjtolaeea decandra). 

 Virginian Hilk '.see 1'eriploea grteca). 

 Virgin's Jioieer (see Clematis). 

 I i ml, i i me Myristica,). 



