HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 355 



think tli e name of "Tree" a misnomer, and that the plant has only the 

 creeping habit of the original type, but this is incorrect, for with proper man- 

 agement, a clean stem of a foot or fifteen inches, can be obtained "with a 

 beautiful little head on the top ; or a cone feathering down to the pot at 

 the will of the cultivator. Such an object clothed with flowers of the 

 sweetness of Violets, needs no eulogy. 



Botanists tell us, that the whole of our cultivated varieties sprung from 

 the Viola odorata; another proof of the beneficence of an allwise Provi- 

 dence, in implanting the principle in vegetable organism, of their suscepti- 

 bility of improvement for man's wants and comfort. 



The following is the method we have found to succeed in their culture : 



PROPAGATION. 



Early in April, take the offsets or suckers and pot into three-inch pots ; 

 keeping them in the greenhouse, or what is better a frame, till they get well 

 established and their pots pretty full of roots. Give them a shift into a two 

 sizes larger pot, and plunge the pots to the rim under the shade of some 

 tree where no sun can get to them. If these pots become filled with roots 

 pretty early, they may have another shift into the next size pot, which will 

 be large enough for them the first season. Any laterals that may show 

 themselves during summer, should be pinched out and the lower leaves occa- 

 sionally taken off to induce an upward growth. 



The plants by the fall will be from four to six inches high, with a little 

 tuft of leaves on the top from wdiich will spring a large quantity of flowers 

 during winter. Early in the fall the plants should be taken into the green- 

 house, and placed in a somewhat shady place, having previously a little of 

 the top soil taken off, and replenished with new. 



SECOND SEASON, FORMING SPECIMENS. 



Early in April, shake the soil clean from the roots, injuring the fibres as 

 little as possible. Repot into the same size pots and treat as recommended 

 the first season. When they have become well established, shift into seven 

 inch pots, which will be large enough to grow them in ; plunge as directed 

 above. Those intended for pyramids, should have a tier of laterals left 

 that will spring from the crown of the plant ; these by fall, will hang grace- 

 fully down to the pot, while the centre is again elongating having the late- 

 rals pinched off till the height is obtained for a second tier of branches, 

 and so on. For the clean stem, keep all shoots pinched off till the height 

 required is obtained, after which it should be allowed to form its head. 



The plants will last for years, and by similar treatment to the foregoing, 



