90 
THE NEAPOLITAN VIOLET. 
The great esteem in which this Violet is universally held, is attested by the 
extent to which it is grown for the purpose of producing flowers in early spring. 
In our former volumes we have freely given practical instructions for its cultivation ; 
but, as it has recently come under our observation flourishing and producing flowers 
in a remarkably fine manner, and with a success seldom experienced, we will give 
such account of that success as will put our readers in possession of a knowledge of 
the principles upon which it was attained. 
The principal instance in question was that of a common garden-frame filled 
with plants in the usual manner, by being planted in rows : the foliage was in a 
remarkable degree healthy and robust, and the flowers, both as to the numbers in 
which they were produced, their doubleness, but more especially their size, were such, 
as those who in imagination measure them by such as are commonly met with, 
cannot conceive. In appearance, to the general observer, the plants under consider- 
ation were not flourishing from any peculiar causes or enjoying particular 
advantages. The only circumstance respecting them which forced itself upon the 
attention was their general healthiness, consisting in the deep green of their foliage, 
their perfect freeness from insects, &c. The soil in which they were growing 
was apparently of no particular description ; it seemed to be a light-textured, 
fibrous, light-brown loam, with a portion of leaf-mould added. The frame was of the 
ordinary description, the lights being of wood ; it was merely raised by a course 
or two of bricks above the surface of the ground, situated so as to enjoy 
a south aspect. The plants were planted also on the surface of the ground, 
and were not more than a few inches higher than the surrounding surface 
outside the frame ; they were consequently, at the back of the frame, as much as 
from two and a half to three feet from the glass, and at the front from twelve to 
fifteen inches. We are thus minute in describing these particulars, because the 
point to which we wish to draw particular attention is the degree of shade 
afforded the plants by their position in the middle of January, and that January of a 
very mild and rather gloomy description. In conjunction with the plants behig 
quite healthy when they were planted, and in other respects being in such a 
condition as would have been conducive to their welfare under any circumstances, 
we have no doubt the shade they enjoyed was mainly instrumental in causing so fine 
a development of flowers. In another instance, an occurrence accidentally came 
under our notice that exactly supports the view we have taken : — a frame filled with 
the Neapolitan Violet, so elevated as to permit the application of bottom-heat, (by 
linings of hot manure, &c.,)at pleasure, the plants being planted nearly close to the 
glass, were in the month of February showing flower. At this period the severity 
of tlie weather rendered it necessary they should be well-protected ; they were 
