VIOLETS AND THEIR CULTIVATION. 
19 
Violets will not thrive for any length of time in stiff, heavy soils, 
and I do not think it is possible to obtain the best results on light, dry, 
or sandy soil. If the character of your soil approaches either of these 
extremes, it will repay you to make a plot for your Violets. In Mr- 
B. T. Galloway's little book on Violet cultivation, he says : " We 
may have in one part of a field a soil containing 15 per cent, to 20 per 
cent, of clay, and in another one containing 4 per cent, or 5 per cent. 
By mixing these two soils in equal proportion a combination is effected 
which, other conditions being equal, will prove better for Violets than 
either soil used alone." I agree with that. 
The best way to propagate Violets is by rooting runners in the 
autumn months. Where Violets flourish, runners will be produced in 
great abundance. The stoutest and shortest jointed should be 
selected, and taken from the plants when they are 3 or 4 inches in 
length. Dibble the cuttings in light sandy soil, in a frame, facing 
south, and let the bed be as near to the glass as possible. They will 
root rapidly if you will give them the usual treatment required by 
cuttings under such conditions, and when once rooted they may be 
freely supplied with light and air. Wet will injure them more than 
cold, but the frames should seldom if ever be kept quite close. 
In early spring, as soon as the weather will allow of it, the young 
plants should be lifted and a selection made. The long, stringy 
plants, and those which show no disposition to form a crown, should 
be rejected ; the short, stiff, and stocky plants being lined in again 
to make a little more root and to receive protection from the bitter 
east winds which we often get in the month of March. 
The planting out may be done as early as the middle of April. 
A cool, fairly moist situation is desirable. I used to argue for a 
partially shaded position, such as the north side of a garden wall. 
In such a position I have seen them do exceedingly well. But although 
this may not be indispensable, I am sure that they will require to be 
cool and moist at the roots during the growing season. The distance 
from plant to plant will vary from 10 inches for ' Lady H. Campbell ' 
to 16 inches for ' Princess of Wales ' and ' Luxonne.' I can tell you 
in a very few words what are the chief requirements of Violets from 
May to September. Scuffle with a Dutch hoe every few days during 
dry weather. Dust a little old soot over the plants every ten days 
or so, and spray the Violets with soft water as often as you like at the 
close of a hot day ; and cut off the runners as soon as they appear. 
We used to plant our Violets in beds of such a shape and size that 
eight or ten 6 X 4 pit lights would nicely cover the beds. We would 
run an 8-inch board round the beds to support the lights, and thus 
save ourselves the trouble of lifting the Violets into frames. The finest 
blooms we ever exhibited were gathered from these undisturbed plants. 
That plan of course is not always feasible. Violets may be lifted into 
frames from August to October. I should say the first week in Sep- 
tember was the ideal time. Do not lift too soon, do not feed too 
highly, do not nurse too tenderly. The aspect of the frames should 
