ADAPTATION OF THE TREE VIOLET, ETC. 
139 
flowers is very limited, and their fragrance is by no means so powerful as when exposed to 
the full influence of the air. It is perfectly hardy, and will endure the full severity of our 
winters without protection, forming a low herbaceous plant like the other kinds, and is in 
that form best suited for supplying flowers at all seasons of the year, except during the very 
depth of winter. It is well adapted for a bedding plant, and in such a situation makes a 
much greater display than any person who has not seen it so grown could possibly suppose; 
at Oakley, the seat of his Grace the Duke of Bedford, this has been especially exemplified 
this spring. The plants grow closely together, so as to form a dense carpet of green and 
blue; and although the foliage was both healthy and abundant, the bed presented a 
complete mass of inflorescence standing erect above the leaves, which the immense number 
of flowers partly concealed. 
The following few particulars of their management at Oakley may not be uninteresting : 
■ — A quantity of plants which had been grown under glass in pots were, after having been 
forced, turned out into a spare border in the kitchen garden, during the month of March ; 
with the exception of occasional waterings in dry weather, they were permitted to take their 
chance, and after throwing up numerous radical shoots they speedily lost their arborescent 
appearance, and grew together as vigorously and compactly as the Neapolitan kind. 
The following winter, which was one of average severity, proved their hardiness, as without 
any protection they were observed the following spring to be equally as unscathed as the 
Russian variety; and by the end of February they commenced blooming, and continued so 
through the two succeeding months, but, as might be expected, the flowers were neither 
fine nor numerous, having been forced the previous winter, and neglected during the 
subsequent summer. 
Encouraged, however, from their hardiness to bestow more pains upon their cultivation, 
some well-decomposed vegetable matter was bestrewn by means of a coarse sieve amongst 
the old plants, about two or three inches deep, in the latter part of April ; and after receiving 
this top-dressing, the plants were supplied with copious waterings of weak liquid manure, 
which of course induced a most luxuriant growth, and thus the object of obtaining plenty of 
vigorous runners was accomplished ; for tow^ards the middle of May the bed was completely 
covered with robust, well-establishj^ young plants, the old ones being scarcely any longer 
recognisable. In order that the young plants, or newly-rooted runners, might be cultivated 
as highly as possible, it was thought advisable to transplant them into a fresh situation and 
new soil ; accordingly, in order that they might enjoy the additional advantage of partial 
shade, a border beneath the garden wall on a western aspect was selected for the purpose. 
The ground, being previously well forked over, was surfaced with rather strong maiden loam 
and peat, rendered tolerably friable and open by the admixture of some sharp sand and 
charred ashes, to the depth of three or four inches ; and, being made level and tolerably firm, 
was lined out for planting in rows, and the plants were placed one foot apart from each other. 
In taking up the runners, all the strongest and best were selected, and care taken to 
retain as much root as possible, but divesting them of most of the old soil. Excepting the 
very weak ones, one plant only was inserted in each allotted space, and the planting being 
finished, a copious watering was given to settle the soil around them. 
Throughout the summer their treatment was similar to that of a strawberry plantation, 
consisting of frequent applications of weak liquid manure given towards evening in dry 
weather ; particular care was taken to divest them of all " runners " as repeatedly as they 
made their appearance, as their removal if delayed might prove detrimental to the future 
strength of the plants. 
The plantation grew amazingly, the soil amongst them being frequently hoed and 
scarified to destroy all intruding weeds in embryo, and keep the surface open for the 
admission of air and rain, or liquid artificially supplied, the latter being administered 
copiously to obviate the efi'ects of drought, and complete their growth in the hottest weather ; 
but by the end of summer these artificial waterings were discontinued altogether, in order 
that, after being so highly cultivated, the plants might be enabled to mature themselves for 
withstanding a severe winter, should such occur. 
Towards the middle of September all the finest plants were selected for the flower- 
