SAINTPAULIA 
(AFRICAN VIOLET) 
CECIL HOUDYSHEL 
1949 PRICE LIST 
LA VERNE, CALIFORNIA. 


SAINTPAULIA PRICE LIST 
We hoped to mail this price list by April 
1 but on that date we had too few variet- 
ies. The larger wholesale growers do not 
ship in winter, no one does, and because of 
the great demand it is very difficult to 
acquire stock of the newer sorts. The de- 
mand seems to exceed the possibilities of 
production. But now we have a sufficient 
number of varieties and a_ sufficiently 
large stock. We will add to these as rapid- 
ly as possible and later in the season, sup- 
plementary lists will be sent to those who 
purchase from this, but they will not be 
sent to our entire Saintpaulia mailing list 
nor will we keep on this list any who do 
not make a purchase this year. 
Please do not inquire if we have certain 
varieties not listed. When we do, our active 
customers will be informed. Don’t ask if 
we have a yellow Saintpaulia. We do not. 
No one has, nor will there ever be a yellow. 
How To Grow Saintpaulias. Saintpaulias 
came only a little over 50 years ago from 
the Usambara district of Tanganyika, 
equatorial east Africa. Tanganyika includ- 
es Lake Victoria, source of the Nile in the 
north on the equator and extends about 12° 
south. It is entrely in the tropical zone. It 
is always summer. There is little variation 
in this climate except such as may result 
from changes in prevailing winds, if any. 
The mean average temperature at low 
elevations is 80° and it is certainly a 
“mean” temperature for the white races. 
At higher elevations it may be about 10° 
cooler. Due to the proximity of the Indian 
ocean the humidity is quite high. 
Saintpaulias are shade loving plants and 
cann5t endure full sun. There should be 
as little variation in day and night tem- 
peratures as possible with about 12° as 
ideal. The best temperature is 70°. 80° in 
the day time does not stop flowering but 
somewhere in the 90°’s, if very long con- 
tinued, flowering may stop. 65° slows 
down growth and flowers and under 60° 
stops both. Plants are not killed at 40° 
but they are injured and that is the lowest 
temperature they can recover from. For 
that reason they cannot be shipped in 
winter. 
It is evident that the temperatures in 
which Saintpaulias are comfortable and 
happy are the same as those humans re- 
quire when lightly dressed. They are there- 
fore ideal house plants because they can 
live with us. But they can’t put on long 
red flannel underwear and be comfortable 
in cold houses in winter as we can, hence 
it is not uncommon for them to cease 
flowering in winter. The remedy is obvious. 
Soil for most shade plants should be of 
mildly acid reaction. Saintpaulias are 
grown successfully in a wide variety of 
soils but no doubt the best is a very porous 
soil, rich in humus and containing enough 
sand to permit water to drain freely. They 
must be watered carefully as if water 
touches the foilage and plants soon after 
receives strong light the foilage becomes 
spotted. Likewise the water must be warm- 
ed to about the same temperature as sur- 
rounding air. The best and safest time to 
water is very early in the morning. Do not 
keep them soggy. Let them become slight- 
ly dry on soil surface before each water- 
ing. A good method is to set pots in tepid 
water and remove when soil surface be- 
comes moist, The beauty of Saintpaulias 
depends on the foilage quite as much as on 
the flowers. Be sure to keep foilage in 
proper condition. 
This short article cannot tell you all 
about Saintpaulias and their culture. You 
should send us $2.75 for Miss Wilson’s 
book, “African Violets, Saintpaulias”. This 
is the first and only book on the subject. 
Like all house plants, Saintpaulias may be 
attacked by mealy bug or other insect 
enemies. The control of insect pests, de- 
scriptions of all types and varieties, fer-: 
tilizers, methods of propogation by leaf 
cuttings and division, crossing and breed-. 
ing new sorts, growing seedlings, all phas- 
es of growing in the house or greenhouse 
is too large a subject for full treatment 
here. If you do not have Miss Wilson’s 
book send for it with your first order, to- 
day and we will return it at once. Plant 
orders will be filled in rotation. 
For the commercial production of Saint- 
paulias we are using an all concrete, al- 
uminum and glass structure with heating 
plant automatically turned off by thermo- 
stat at 70°. In a similar manner an air con- 
ditioning unit begins automatically to cool 
the house at 80°. We hope to be able to 
furnish you flowering plants all summer. 
But don’t specify ‘flowering’. We will 
always have a few new or recently acquir- 
ed plants that will not yet Be in flower. 
Please order at once if possible. Cool 
weather is more favorable for shipping. 
Guarantee. We will send out only good 
plants. They will be properly packed but 
we cannot guarantee that not a single 
leaf will be broken off as the leaf petioles 
are naturally brittle. With our present ex- 
perience we seldom have a report of the 
slightest damage, but we cannot replace 
plants received in a growing condition. Be- 
yond the occasional loss of a few broken 
leaves which can be used for propogation, 
en will usually arrive in perfect condi- 
ion. 
Business terms are about the same as 
those published in our catalogs. Remit cash 
in full with order. California customers 
must add 244% Sales Tax. We decline all 
C.O.D. orders. We advise that you remit 
5c extra for Insurance up to $5.00 value; 
$5.00 to $10.00 value, costs 10c; $10.00 to 
$25.00 value costs 15c; over $25.00 value 
costs in proportion to the rate for $25.00. 
Special Handling obtains same handling 
as first class mail; hastens delivery; safer. 
It costs you 15c extra for 2 lbs. Over 2 
Ibs. costs 20c. Divided shipments require 
fees for each package. 
We prepay postage on orders for $1.50 
or over on Saintpaulias. Orders under $1.50 
must remit 10c extra for postage and 
packing. 
: No wholesale on Saintpaulias, nor quan- 
ity discounts except that you may select 
10% extra on orders amounting to $25 or 
more if you will instruct us to ship by ex- 
press, charge collect, and 15% extra on 
orders for $50.00 or over, if express collect. 
Packages are light in weight hence charg- 
es are small. Express is always safest, but 
costs more so we only ship that way at 
your expense. In early winter and early 
spring plants can be shipped safely by ex- 
press, although too cold to mail. 
LIST OF VARIETIES 
Have you ever received identical varie- 
ties under different names? We try to 
help you avoid that by mentioning syno- 
nyms in parentheses, like Pink Amethyst, 
(West Coast Amethyst). But we don’t 
know everything and can only help to the 
extent of our knowledge. 
Admiral. Flowers, medium dark blue. 
Ovate, dark green leaves with crenate 
margin, flushed red on under side. $1.25. 
Amethyst. (Lavender Lady). Fils. am- 
ethyst or orchid lavender, slightly bi- 
color. Cordate, rich green leaves with 
shallow scalloped margins, reddish be- 
neath. $1.25 
Bicolor. The two upper petals are a much 
deeper orchid color than the 3 lower 
ones. The two tones are pleasing, desir- 
able and different. $1.50. 
Blue Bird. Fs. large, medium blue-violet 
with long tapering petals that suggest a 
bird in flight. $1.50. 
