September 7, 187?. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



205 



I have arrived at is that my information waa rather under 

 than overstated. 



In January, 1873, I planted a quantity of Larch — sturdy 

 plants 3 to 4 feet high, and costing 40s. a thousand — upon an 

 open piece of meadow land which was trenched, or rather half 

 trenched, for it was not stirred deeper than 14 inches. The 

 trees were planted 4 feet apart with a Pinus austriaca at inter- 

 vals of about 30 feet, the intention being to have the Larch as 

 nurses for the Pinuses for a time, but to cut them gradually 

 away as they became large enough to make that a profitable 

 process. The growth of the Larch has quite exceeded my 

 expectations, the shortest plantB being now upwards of 9 feet 

 high, while the majority of them are considerably taller ; two 

 of the finest which I have measured to-day (August 25th) are 

 both nearly 13 feet high, one of them haviDg actually made a 

 growth of 3 feet 10 inches last year and the other 3 feet 5 inches. 

 They are now growing freely, but I do not think they will 

 make an advance of 3 feet this year, the brown and yellow 

 foliage affording clear evidence of suffering from drought. A 

 very slight calculation will show that at this rate of progress a 

 orop of Larch must prove very profitable, whatever might be 

 the purpose for which it is eventually intended ; if for poles 

 the entire wood could be oleared at one time, or if for fencing 

 and timber a gradual clearance of the weaker trees would give 

 space to those intended for timber, and at the same time afford 

 a handsome profit upon the work. 



Whatever be the nature of the soil in which we desire to 

 plant Larch, I would always advocate trenching, even deeper 

 by several inches than I have gone, for it undoubtedly induces 

 not only a rapid growth upwards but a proportionate stout- 

 ness of stem, both eminently desirable properties, whether the 

 object in view is simply a free handsome growth or a profitable 

 return for money invested in the work. — E. Ldckhuest. 



VIOLAS.— No. 2. 



The ennobling of Violas into Pansies is inevitable ; the varie- 

 ties of Viola raised hitherto only mark the stages through 

 which a ragged flower must pass in its advancement to the 

 standard marked out for it by the florist. Viola cornuta in 

 its varieties alba, Perfection, Enchantress, Magnificent, Mauve 

 Queen, Blue Bell, &c, all exhibit improvements on the original. 

 In Lothair, though we have the habit of V. oornuta, the flowers 

 are clearly those of a Pansy. Viola lutea progressively ad- 

 vanced to size in V. lutea grandiflora and major, when all at 

 onoe a clear leap was made from a Viola to a PanBy in Crown 

 Jewel; though the habit of the plants be dense and robust, 

 only a step or two of further progress is needed and the Violas 

 may be included in the category of bedding Pansies. 



It is questionable, however, whether Violas having Pansy 

 flowers are calculated to be as effective for bedding purposes 

 as those with smaller and more numerous flowers ; for it is as 

 well to bear in mind that if the size of the flower be doubled 

 we have but one flower in the place of two, and this, though it 

 may not affect the plant singly, does materially lessen its effect 

 in a mass intended to represent a decided hue of colour. I 

 confess to a liking for a good verdant ground with the flowers 

 nestling in distinct masses of decided colour above it. But in 

 the larger improved flowers the foliage is more ample, the 

 flower having superior form enhancing its individual beauty. 

 The size and form of flowers give a greater fitness for effective 

 display than numerous Bmall ill-shaped flowers, and I hail with 

 delight the improvement which is being effected in this family 

 of plants. 



Violas to bloom well over a lengthened period require a rich 

 and moist soil, not necessarily wet, but one which will support 

 the plants in dry weather. Even a light well-drained soil, rich 

 in humus by liberal dressings of manure and leaf soil, will 

 give stamina to plants in dry weather, enabling them to with- 

 stand its effects with better results than are produced from 

 plants in a heavier-textured soil. Violas, it must be borne in 

 mind, are not marBh plants ; they grow on knolls, or Blopes, or in 

 ground free from stagnant water : therefore, though a moist soil 

 be desirable, it should be well drained, moisture being afforded 

 by supplies of water in a prolonged dry period. Ground for 

 Violas ought to be trenched or Btirred to a depth of 15 to 

 18 inches or so deep, as good soil admits. It is no use going 

 down with a view of bringing to the surface matter which, before 

 it can be available as food for plants, requires amelioration by 

 atmospheric influence and an addition of organic substance. 

 Trench the ground in autumn, putting in some partially de- 

 cayed vegetable refuse not further from the surface than a 



foot ; and if the ground will not admit of being turned up 

 deeper loosen the under strata, placing the manure upon it, 

 throwing the surface rough for the winter. In spring dress 

 the surface with leaf soil or well-decayed manure, and dig with 

 a fork, mixing the manurial matter well in the soil. 



Plants raised from seed grow more upright and do not branch 

 nearly so well, and are not, for a time at least, so floriferous as 

 are those from cuttings. Seedlings are not good the first year ; 

 it is not until the plants are cut down that dependance can be 

 placed upon seedling plants for a full display : hence I do not 

 advise the plants to be raised from seed except for the origin- 

 ation of improved varieties. Those, however, who wish to 

 raise plants from seed may sow the seed the middle of August 

 up to early September in light rich soil in a sheltered situation, 

 pricking out the seedlings 3 inches apart in a sheltered spot 

 in October, and planting them in March or early in April. 



Cuttings give the best and most floriferous plants. Take 

 the cuttings towards the end of September or first week in 

 October. Choose for them a sheltered border — under a low 

 wall or fence — and moderately rich soil, made fine and level, 

 surfacing with a thin layer of sand. Let the cuttings be of 

 the shoots which spring from the base of the plants, not using 

 the exhausted flower shoots, and about 2i to 3 inches long, 

 pricking them in about half their length 2 inches apart, firm- 

 ing them well in, completing with a good watering. In a very 

 bleak position the cuttings may be put-in in a frame and win- 

 tered in every respect like Calceolarias. Plant them out in 

 spring before dry weather sets in, and in no case defer their 

 planting until the usual time of bedding, for Violas and Cal- 

 ceolarias are not able to contend with drought if it comes upon 

 them before their roots have obtained a good hold of the soil. 

 Short duration of bloom and sudden collapse are due to late 

 planting. If Calceolarias were planted where they are to bloom 

 in April we should see less of their failure, and Violas so 

 treated are enabled to withstand drought. Plants from cuttings 

 mSde in early October will give an effective summer display, 

 but not unfrequently Viola beds become seedy in autumn, as, 

 indeed, all plants do that have been in a high state of perfec- 

 tion during the hot summer months. For a late or autumn 

 bloom cuttings may be put-in in May or June, affording them 

 shade. An amateur tells me (and I have seen) how to strike 

 Violas and Pansies in summer — namely, put them in between 

 the rows of early Potatoes where the outtings are shaded from 

 the sun, and lift the plants with balls the first showery weather 

 after rooting, and plant them where they are required to 

 bloom. For a spring display — or rather early summer, for it 

 is not until May that Violas are in their beauty — the cuttings 

 should be put in the second week in August, and be in their 

 flowering quarters in October. An earlier bloom will be had 

 by wintering the plants in frames, planting out during March. 

 Potted and plunged in cocoa-nut refuse they stand well, and 

 if in the open a top-dressing of the same material is of great 

 assistance to the plants. Plants divided in October and then 

 planted will afford a good early display. 



Violas stand wet well, better perhaps than any other flower- 

 ing bedding plants, and succeed in summer in high cold situ- 

 ations where more tender subjects do not have other than a 

 starved appearance. Being moisture-loving plants they are 

 benefited by a top-dressing in summer, for if mulching has the 

 property of retaining heat in winter it possesses equally the 

 power of retaining moisture in summer. Soak, therefore, Viola 

 beds with water in dry weather before the soil becomes hard 

 and cracked if heavy, or dusty if light, applying the water to 

 the roots rather than overhead, and mulch with short manure, 

 which will be hid by the foliage. Neater than manure and as 

 good is cocoa-nut refuse, and if this is placed close up to the 

 plants they will produce fresh shoots freely, which will root 

 into the mulching. 



To keep the plants in blooming order through the summer 

 it is necessary to cut off the seed pods and to thin-out the old 

 stems, thereby encouraging young growth ; and this attended 

 to before the plants are exhausted, frequently going over the 

 beds, attending to them with water and weak liquid manure 

 in dry weather, we shall find Violas continue blooming from 

 early spring to late summer in as good a state of perfective- 

 ness as most descriptions of flowering bedding plants. They 

 have, like other plants, a season of bloom, and if flowering be 

 continued beyond it fresh parts must replace the exhausted 

 growths, just as young plants are needed to replace plants 

 which are old and worn-out. Boyal Blue is the finest blue 

 Viola, and Crown Jewel, a clear pale yellow, surpasses any 

 other of its colour. 



