3 
About fifty years ago Baron Walter von Saint Paul discovered 
America’s favorite house plant of today growing wild on his vanilla 
and India-rubber tree plantation in East Africa. The original vari- 
eties were apparently lost, but he was evidently pleased with the 
new plants and sent seeds to his friends in Europe. When these 
plants flowered they were exhibited at an International Horticul- 
tural exhibit at Ghent in 1893. 
It is from Baron Walter von Saint Paul that the Saintpaulia 
gets its proper botanical name. But its many admirers who grow 
it today call it African Violet. 
The foliage of the many different varieties varies almost as 
much as the blossoms making it a favorite with flower lovers 
everywhere. 
So successful was the African Violet show held at Atlanta, 
Georgia in November, 1946 that a National Society was organized. 
African Violets like a warm, well ventilated room, free from 
drafts with plenty of humidity and light. A temperature of from 
sixty-eight to seventy-two degrees seems to satisfy them perfectly. 
A very successful method is to keep the plants sitting in trays or 
pans of moist sand. This gives them the humid air they need -with- 
out special effort on the part of the grower. They do not require 
so frequent watering if this method is used as the moist sand 
keeps the soil in the pots moist days longer. 
While north and east windows seem best for growing violets, 
lovely plants may be grown in either of the four exposures. They 
thrive in strong light, but must be protected from the hot rays of 
the sun by a thin curtain or even a shade in extremely hot weather. 
Water only when the top soil around the plant seems dry to the 
touch. One of the most satisfactory methods of watering is to set 
the pots into a pan of warm water and let remain until the ground 
around the plant is moist. Tp let them remain in the water over 
long periods may result in crown rot. Warm water should always 
be used in watering, especially during the winter months as cold 
water shocks the plant to such an extent that it may throw it out 
of bloom. 
To improve their general appearance violets may be given a 
shower bath using warm water as nearly room temperature as pos- 
sible. A clothes sprinkler distributes the water evenly and lightly 
and does not harm the plant. Then too the leaves may be brushed 
with a soft brush to remove dust that collects. 
Old flower stems should always be removed from the plants as 
soon as through blooming. 
If you wish specimen plants. Plant one crown to the pot and 
turn often to keep them symmetrical. 
African Violets may be propagated by leaf cuttings, divisions 
and seeds. To propagate by leaf cuttings cut the stem of the vig- 
orous, young leaf slanting. Sterilize both water and container into 
which leaves are to be put. Then to each quart of cooled water 
add one-eighth teaspoon Hyponex. After containers are filled with 
the solution add a bit of charcoal to each bottle, put in the leaves 
and set away not in the direct sun, but in a strong light. Change 
the water solution often. In a few weeks, usually in two or three 
weeks tiny roots appear. 
