1853.] THE PHILADELPHIA FLORIST, 



• j strong at that season they are very liable to be attacked by the red A^j 

 of* spider, and will produce small flowers, with little or no perfume ; they c^ 

 / will also be longer before they flower. I let them remain in tfie'beds ^ 

 to the middle or latter end of September, as they will not improve 

 much after that time ; they are then taken up with a little sand ad- 

 hering to the roots, and potted, each plant in a six mch. pot, filled with 

 a compost consisting of equal portions of sandy loam, Well decomposed 

 tree leaves, and, if attainable, very rotten cow-dung ; if not, rotten 

 dung from an old hot bed, or, what is better still, bone dust ; the pots 

 must be well drained, and I find charcoal the best material for that 

 purpose ; by no means use peat soil. When potted they should be well 

 watered, after which I place them in a situation well exposed to the 

 sun, air, and light, and keep all the runners picked clean off as they 

 appear, as I find they injure the plants if allowed to remain. I also 

 keep all the dead leaves picked off. About the middle or latter end 

 of October they should be placed in a frame or pit, nearly filled with 

 old tan, or any dry material, without heat, bringing them to within 3 

 or 4 inches of the glass, as that is of great importance, for if they are 

 plunged deeper in the bed, they are liable to damp off in the winter 

 months in bad weather, and i find if the foliage is bad the flowers are 

 bad also. During the winter they require little or no water, at least 

 I never give them any till 1 see them flag, taking care then not to wet 

 the foliage, for that should be kept dry, or tbey will lose it by damp. 

 Air should be admitted freely at all times; when favorable, a cover- 

 ing must also be used to exclude frost from them, as that is very in- 

 jurious to their flowering. By the above treatment my plants have 

 produced me great quantities of large and strong-scented blossoms. If 

 Violets are required later in the season than those in frames will last 

 in flower, by a little good management they may be obtained nearly 

 in every month of the year: my method is to take up part of my 

 plants in July and August, and plant in a south border, in beds,, the 

 soil of which is prepared for them of equal parts of light loam, well 

 rotted dung and river sand, carefully avoiding peat, as I have, in some 

 instances known it to destroy the whole of^ the plants; they are planted 

 from a foot to 15 inches each way, and, if it is required, well water- 

 ed ; the runners and dead leaves are all picked off as they appear, and 

 the soil of the beds kept well stirred with a Dutch hoe ; at the latter 

 end of October the beds are hooped over, for the purpose of shelter- 

 ing them in bad weather, with mats. B} T following the above mode 

 of treatment this favorite plant blooms with me abundantly, and 1 can 

 confidently recommend it. — G. Young, in Gar, Rec. 



[ 



The Trustees of Amherst (Mass.) College have appointed Wm. S. L 



Rev. £ 



, Clark, Professor of Analytical and Agricultural Chemistry, and _. 

 Ik John A. Nash Instructor in Agriculture. ^*\ 



