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[Entered accordlnt? 10 Act of Congress, in tlie year 1875, by tlie Kura! Publishm-: Company, In the office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington.] 
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ABOUT VIOLETS. 
Of the fifty or sixty described species of 
Violets, sixteen are recognized as natives 
of the North American Continent, while 
most of the others are ouly found in a wild 
state in Europe. The modest little Sweet 
Violet, however, is an exception, as it has 
been found growing in Palestine, Japan, 
China, and other parts of Asia, and in some 
instances the blue and white varieties have 
been found growing promiscuously aud 
flowering together; and wherever found it 
is the same fragrant little flower, which, on 
account of its early appearance in the spring, 
is always hailed with delight by all lovers of 
Nature. It has often occurred to me as 
somewhat remarkable that some of the 
North American species of the Violet, 
although very much resembling Viola odo¬ 
rata in general appearance, should be alto¬ 
gether lacking in fragrance, ytt such appears 
to be the case, several persons having ex¬ 
pressed tome their disappointment in falling 
to extract frugrance from an American 
Wood Violet. Viola blanda has the repu¬ 
tation of being slightly fragrant, but, com¬ 
pared with Viola odorata, it is a complete 
failure; but some of the American species 
make up In size of flower and distinctness of 
form what they lack in fragrance. Violas 
delphinifolla and pedatu arc quite pretty 
aud have very interesting flowers, and 
they are highly esteemed and much sought 
after in France and England. 
But the kinds most popular and most gen¬ 
erally cultivated are the improved varieties 
of Viola odorata, which are now quite nu¬ 
merous; they are all highly fragrant although 
of different colors, some having double and 
some single flowers. Among tlie most dis¬ 
tinct and best may be mentioned the double 
blue Neapolitan, which is light blue and 
very fragrant ; Queen of 
Whites, which is also double 
and fragrant; King of Violets 
has very large double flowers 
of a rich indigo color and very 
fragrant; Maria Louise is a 
double variety, having light 
purjile flowers, and the base of 
each petal being white, gives - 
the flower a white center : this 
variety is deliciously fragrant 
and an abundant flowerer, 
(see illustration) ; Shoenbrun, 
Devoniensis, The Czar, and 
Victoria Regina have all single k \ v_jV 
flowers. They are much es¬ 
teemed for their fragrace; the xKaBjj 
last-named variety has flowers \ 
of a remarkable size, in some , ^ 
cases as large as a Garden 
Pansy, of a deep rich purple 
with a yellow center and of the (T 
most exquisite fragrance, 
The Sweet Violets readily 'tsIS' 
adapt themselves to all soils 
and situations, and consequent- A' 
ly are of easy culture; they are \ 
mostly quite hardy, and if 11 
grown in a partially shaded V‘ 
situation will generally yield rl< 
their fragrant flowers through- ~ M 
out the summer as well as the 
spring aud fall months ; and if 
a clump be lifted late in the 
fall and placed in a sheltered 
frame or in the coolest part of 
a greenhouse or conservatory, 
or even placed in a box of earth and stood 
in a cool window, flowers may be obtained 
all winter. 
Viola lulea, the native yellow Violet of 
England, is slightly fragrant, and often cul¬ 
tivated for tlie contrast of its bright yellow 
flowers. The varieties of Viola cornuta 
have, during the last few years, become 
quite numerous, and they are exceedingly 
popular in England for She purpose of plant¬ 
ing in masses for the color of the flowers, 
which are yielded in such wonderful pro¬ 
fusion and so continuous when planted in 
masses in properly arranged beds, as to give 
a constant succession of flower* throughout 
the season. The oriuinal Viola cornuta, as 
introduced from the Pyrenees many years 
ago, has alight blue flower; but the varie¬ 
ties have assumed many shades of color, from 
the purest white, pale and brilliant yellow, 
bronzy purple, light blue, dark blue, to the 
deepest and richest purple. H. E. Chittv. 
Paterson, N. .1. 
-- -- 
HOW TO GROW ROSES IN OPEN GROUND. 
The Dingee & Conarcl Co. gives the follow¬ 
ing directions Many well-informed persons 
appear to think that roses are difficult to 
manazu und will not bloom without Borne 
special or mysterious treatment not generally 
understood. Now, nothing could be further 
from the truth. We believe there is really 
no flower of proportionate value that can 
be had so easily and with so little trouble. 
The Rose is a good feeder and will do well in 
any ordinary fertile soil, but is, of course, 
improved by thorough cultivation. It is al¬ 
ways best to plant in beds or masses, and 
not singly. The ground should be well 
spaded and pulverized to the depth of a foot 
or more, aud enriched by digging in auy 
fertilizing material that may.be convenient. 
Muke the bed of any size or shape that suits 
your fancy ; only remember that roses appear 
I to best advantage by themselves. Therefore, 
make the bed only large enough for tlie roses 
you intend to plant. If you wish other 
flowers, make other beds ; do not put them 
with the roses. 
Plantvig.— Set the plants about one foot 
from the edge of tlie bed and eighteen inches 
from each other. Make a hole large enough 
to allow the roots to bo spread out nicely, 
cover with line soil rather deeper than they 
were grown, and pack down tightly with the 
band. 
Protection. —It will generally be best, 
though not always necessary, to proteot the 
plants for a few days from the sun and chill¬ 
ing winds, until they become somewhat ac¬ 
customed to their new position. One of the 
best ways we know of doing this Is suggested 
by Mrs, Hull of Cortland, N. Y. She uses 
paper grocery bags, turning the bag com¬ 
pletely over the plant, which should be sup¬ 
ported by one or more small sticks and 
heaping on a little earth to keep it in place. 
TFcdrr.—If the ground is dry, water thor¬ 
oughly so as to soak the earth down to the 
roots of the plants. Do not water too often, 
as, like persons, they want water only when 
thirsty. Let them get thirsty before giving 
them a drink. 
Cultivation. After the plants are estab- 
i liMied they need but little attention, except 
that thy ground should not be allowed to 
bake Or become hard, but should be fre¬ 
quently cultivated with hoe and rake, or other 
implements, so as to keep it light and fria 
ble, as well as clear from weeds and gras3. 
Roses of the ever-blooming class will begin 
to bloom almost as soon as they commence 
to grow, and as the plant gains in strength 
and size the flowers will increase in number 
and beauty until the whole bed is a mass of 
bloom. Faded flowers should be removed 
daily ; besides adding to the neat appear¬ 
ance of the beds, this encourages fresh 
bloom, as the effort to produce seeds weak¬ 
ens the vitality of the plant and hinders its 
growth. This is particularly applicable to 
the hybrid perpetual class, some of which 
are rather shy autumn bloomers, unless care 
is taken to keep them growing vigorously 
during the summer. At the approach of 
winter it is a good plan to give the bed a 
covering of coarse manure, forest leaves, 
partially decomposed sods, road scrapings, 
or any similar material that is convenient; 
this serves as a slight protection, besides in¬ 
ducing a strong, early growth the following 
season. 
Pruning. —When dressing up the beds in 
the spring, all the dead shoots should be cut 
off down to the live wood ; besides this not 
much pruning is required, except what may 
be necessary to keep the plants in reasonable 
shape and limit. 
-- 
COLORING PROPERTIES OF COLCHICUM 
AUTUMN ALE. 
The London Garden says The strong re¬ 
semblance of the Colehteum autumnale to 
the Crocus family, though it does not belong 
to it gonerically, will cause that popular 
name to cling to it, in prcCernnce to that of 
Colchlcttm. This plant has been recently 
found to pooesacurious properties which our 
readers will be interested to hear of, and to 
experiment on, The (lowers without abso¬ 
lute contact, are found to commuuicate 
a bright saffron-yellow to the fingers when 
they are held over them at a certain 
distance, and the color so imparted remains 
permanently established for a considerable 
time In spite of washing. The entire face 
hold over the flowers at a certain period 
of their development, assumes a jaundiced 
yellow of very pronounced character, upon 
which soap and water have no effect; but it 
generally disappears after a few hours, 
though, in some instances, it lasts much long¬ 
er. Tlie near proximity to these flowers 
affects also the palate—a slight bub astring¬ 
ent bitter taste being very perceptible. 
Some constitutions are so sensitive to the 
influences given off by this plant that the 
ends of the fingers become perfectly numbed 
by actual contact with the 
flowers. But these influences 
rapidly disappear when tlie in- 
florscence has passed its zenith. 
As is well known, the flowers 
appear in August and Septem¬ 
ber, without leaves ; the fo¬ 
liage having developed itself 
in Spring,•and died down befoi e 
the appearance of the flowers. 
The Spring leaves also appear 
to possess very strong proper- 
yHties, as well as the autumnal 
IWW'lT flowers. 
SALTPETER FOR 
CINTHS. 
HYA- 
VIOLET MARIA. LOUISE. 
Wm. Laurie says :—It may 
be interesting to know that 
while the bulb is producing its 
roots in the water, by applying 
a little of nitrate of potash 
(saltpeter) to the water in which 
the bulb is in, it will in a great 
measure stimulate growth, and 
be the means of producing bet¬ 
ter roots and flowers than oth¬ 
erwise would be. Dissolve the 
nitrate in water, pour into the 
glasses when changing the wa¬ 
ter, which ought to be done at 
least e very two or three weeks. 
If there are any who doubt the 
fact, let them apply it to some 
such thing as Mustard or Cress, 
which they may be growing 
NEW YORK, AND ROCHESTER, N. Y, FEB. 27, 1875. 
VOI». XXXI. No. 9. I 
WHOLE No. 1309. f 
PRICE SJX3C CENTS. 
*».«« PER YEAR. 
