September 21, 1907. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
615 
Violas. 
An Article Describing the 
Culture of these Charming 
Flowers in the Garden and 
for Exhibition, and Naming Some Good Varieties to Grow, 
)f all the many plants that are suit- 
a e for an amateur’s garden, there are 
me better than Violas. Spring, sum- 
nr, and autumn they make a show if 
tly are only treated as they should be. 
H bedding purposes there are no other 
pnts that give the same quantity of 
boms, for so little cost and trouble, and 
tf.se who are not at all particular about 
h ing named varieties, can obtain a 
g at variety of colours, and also a good 
css of plants, from a packet of seed 
0 ained from a nurseryman who makes 
Vlas a speciality. The best time to 
s • the seed is as soon as it is ripe, and 
t n nice jdants can be obtained ready 
f, planting out in the autumn, but the 
s d may also be sown about the middle 
r;March; if sown when ripe, it is best to 
p the pans of seed to germinate under 
a hady wall, but if sown in March, the 
■■ d frame is the best place. The soil 
t t suits the seed sowing best is a mix- 
t s of sandy loam one part, leaf mould 
o: part, and silver sand one part; and if 
s te small pieces of sandstone are used 
a angst the drainage there will be no 
fir of the soil becoming sour. 
,s soon as the seedlings are large 
e ugh to handle, prick them out in a 
b [ of good soil (either in a frame or 
i::he opfen, according to the time of the 
y r) about two or three inches apart each 
vir to strengthen, and when the plants 
a of a good size plant them out in their 
p manent quarters. 
'he soil that suits Violas is one that 
b ich and light, but with a little trouble 
i v can be made to succeed well in all 
g dens. The ground should be well 
t iched, and if it is of a heavy nature, 
pnty of stable manure and road scrap- 
i s.should be well worked in, but on 
t other hand if the soil is of a light 
r ure, with a gravel sub-soil, use plenty 
0; cow or pig manure if possible at 
t rching time. 
ly garden has ideal soil for Viola 
g wing", it is a deep sandy loam, and if 
if 5 well worked and some strong man- 
11 worked in a few weeks before plant- 
r , the plants are a mass of bloom 
r'rlv all the year, and require very little 
a -ntion. At the time the seedlings are 
ii flower, select all those plants that are 
th keeping, and pull the wastrels up 
a once, so that the stock may be good 
f next year. For bedding, select those 
pnts that are free blooming, are of a 
g d habit, and not those with long 
s iggling shoots, but the habit is not of 
? much importance in plants that are 
g wn for exhibition blooms. Cuttings 
y 1 root at any time from April untT 
ober, and should be taken at intervals 
ing that time, according to the time 
t plants are wanted; the cuttings will 
ily root in the open if they are planted 
1 1 shady border in sandy soil. If the 
nts are wanted for blooming in the 
ingtime, I should advise the grower to 
the cuttings in about April or May 
mt four inches apart* and if the plants 
- e the leading growths pinched back 
?w times, they' will make nice t( stockv” 
ff, ready for planting out in the 
umn, in well cultivated beds or bor¬ 
ders, and they will well repay for the 
little extra trouble, for plants that are 
raised from cuttings are better bloomers 
than those that have been divided, and 
besides this, it is the only way to keep 
the plants true to name, for many Violas 
are apt to “ run out” if cuttings are not 
taken each year. Those who have no 
frames would do well to have all their 
cuttings in by the end of July or the first 
week in August, for many hundreds of 
cuttings are killed each year because 
they are not well rooted before they have 
to endure the hard weather. Cuttings 
can also.be rooted in the cold frames in 
September and October ready' for plant¬ 
ing out about March or April for summer 
blooming. The cuttings should be taken 
fiom the new growths, and should be 
about three inches long; cut just below 
a joint and remove the last pair of leaves, 
and insert them about an inch deep. All 
cuttings root much quicker if a little 
sand is put at the bottom of each hole 
that is made to receive the cutting, and 
the most simple way to do this is to cover 
the surface of the soil with dry sand, and 
then as each hole is made a certain por¬ 
tion of the sand falls into it, and the base 
of the cutting roots upon it. The soil 
should be kept moist until the cuttings 
are rooted, but during the winter keep the 
plants rather dry and give those in' the 
frames all the air possible, and keep all 
decaying matter picked off. 
If the beds and borders were well man¬ 
ured and dug before planting, all that 
will be necessary during the summer will 
be tp keep the soil stirred round the 
plants and to remove all dea.d blooms, 
and also occasionally cut out some of 
the old growths, to encourage new flower¬ 
ing shoots. Water well during dry' sea¬ 
sons, and it is a good plan in dry seasons 
for those who have to do with very dry' 
soils to mulch the beds with a little de¬ 
cayed horse droppings, as this prevents 
the moisture evaporating too rapidly', and 
when there is rain provides the plant with 
a little liquid manure. It is a good thing 
to plant a few spare plants in some part 
of the garden so that they be cut down 
to prdvide cuttings without spoiling the 
. display in the beds. 
Those who intend to exhibit should 
keep the blooms picked off t^e plants 
until about three weeks before the show, 
and give the plants liquid manure about 
twice a week, and then by the show day 
there will be plenty of good blooms to 
pick from. 
I will give the names of a few good 
varieties for bedding and for exhibition, 
but any' good catalogue will give the 
names and descriptions of almost an end¬ 
less list of varieties: — Maggie Mott, 
Lark, Mrs. Chichester, Mary Robertson, 
and Bethea are good for exhibition or for 
bedding; Maggie Currie, Sunshine, Goal 
Keeper, Peace, Cream Perfection are all 
exhibition varieties. The following are 
excellent varieties for bedding, but are 
not large enough blooms for exhibi¬ 
tion :—Councillor Watters, Accushla, 
Seagull, John Quarton, Marian Watters, 
etc. 
London Dahlia 
. . Union. 
Exhibition at Regent’s Park. 
The annual exhibition of the London 
■Dahlia Union was held at the Gardens of 
the Royal Botanic Society, Regent s Park, 
on September 12th and 13th. The day 
was exceptionally fine and warm. 1 he 
exhibits were located in the conservatory 
and corridor. In the classes provided 
there was keen competition by all the 
leading growers of the various types. 
Fine stands were also exhibited by’ ama¬ 
teurs. Large collections of Dahlias. 
Gladioli, Roses, and border Chrysanthe¬ 
mums. not for competition, were also 
staged, making altogether a fine autumn 
exhibition. 
Prizes for a decoration of cut Dahlias 
for dinner table were offered by' Hobbies, 
Ltd., and the leading award was secured 
by Mr. M. V. Seale, London Road, 
Sevenoaks. The flowers consisted of 
small blooms of Cactus Dahlias set up 
with grasses and berried shrubs. Mrs. H. 
L. Sell, Cromwell Road, Luton, was 
second with single Dahlias in the stands. 
Mr. F. G. Oliver, 97, Tollington Park, 
N., was third, and Messrs. J. Cheal and 
Sons, Crawley, Sussex, came in fourth. 
The first-prize table was light and ele¬ 
gant. 
Mr. John Walker, Thame, Oxon, had 
the best three vases of Cactus Dahlias 
set up with foliage of shrubs and berries. 
Messrs. J. Burrell and Co. were Second. 
Mr. M. V. Seale was first for six bunches 
of pompon Cactus Dahlias. Messrs. J. 
Cheal and Sons were a good second, and 
Air. J. Walker came in third. These 
small flowers are very handsome and ele¬ 
gant for cut-flower purposes. 
Mr. J. Walker took the lead for 24 
show Dahlias, followed by Mr. Charles 
Turner, Slough; Messrs. Keynes, Wil¬ 
liams and Co., Salisbury, and Mr. S. 
Mortimer, Rowledge, Farnham, in this 
order. 
Messrs. J. Cheal and Sons came to the 
front for 12 show Dahlias. Mr. J. R. 
Tranter, Henley-on-Thames, was second, 
and other winners followed. 
The Cactus Dahlias, as usual, were a 
feature of the show. The lead for 12 
bunches was taken by' Messrs. J. Stred- 
wick and Son, Silverhill Park, St. 
Leonards-on-Sea. First-class Certificates 
went to C. E. Wilkins and Rev. A. Bridge. 
Mr. H. Shoesmith, Westfield, Woking, 
was a good second; Mr. J. Walker was 
third, and Messrs. J. Burrell and Co. 
came in fourth. There were six exhibits. 
b or 24 Cactus Dahlia blooms on 
boards the lead was taken by Mr. James 
Stredwick, followed by' Messrs. J. Burrell 
and Co., Keynes, Williams and Co., and 
J. Walker, in this order. Mr. S. Mor¬ 
timer had the best 12. The blooms on 
boards were larger than those in bunches. 
Mr. C. Turner had the best pompons, 
owing to their small size, neatness and 
freshness. 
SCRIPTOR. 
(To be continued.) 
