If a strong root system is desired the rooted leaves may be 
placed in an aquarium or any glass container in one part Zonolite, 
one part peat moss and one part sand, moistened with water, to 
which some good plant food has been added. Cover with glass. 
Usually they develop a good root system in from four to eight 
weeks. They may either be left in the Zonolite mixture to grow 
the tiny plants or very carelully lifted out and placed in containers 
of soil. 
If transolanted to soil note that considerable of the Zonolite 
mixture adheres to the hair roots. This is an advantage as it helps 
the plant and reduces the shock of transplanting. Surprising how 
soon the tiny mouse ears appear. 
Care should be taken to see that the tiny plants are not planted 
too deeply into the soil as the crown should be free of soil. 
When transplanting tiny plants and there is more than one 
to a leaf, cut the plants away from the leaf, then pull the tiny plants 
apart and set one plant to each pot. The leaf may then be put back 
into whatever mixture is being used to grow more plants. 
Large plants with a number of crowns may be divided and 
made into a number of smaller plants. To do this remove the plant 
from the pots and allow surplus soil to fall away from the plant. 
Separate the roots by pulling them apart very carefully. Each 
crown will make a plant. 
Growing African Violets from seed is of course practiced only 
by our more experienced growers. Carefully controlled artificial 
pollination is accomplished by transferring the pollen of one known 
parent plant to the pistil of another known parent. Saintpaulia seed 
is very small and must be handled with great care. 
With proper day by day care insects and diseases will be rare. 
The most common insect pests seem to be the mealy bug, cyclamen 
mite and the black fly. 
Mealy bugs may be picked from the plant with any long 
sharp instrument, or alcohol may be applied to the bugs by touching 
each one with a cotton wrapped instrument saturated with alcohol. 
Volck seems to be very cffective used as a spray. Be sure to keep 
plants out of the sun until perfectly dry. 
Napthalene flakes placed around the plants will help control 
the black fly. 
Perhaps the most destructive is the cyclamen mite. Hot water 
bath, DDT sprey and Sodium Sclenate are all recommended. How- 
ever, Sodium Selenate is very poisonous and must be handled with 
great precaution. 
Can’t you just see Blue Boy strutting around in his little blue 
overalls, hands in pocket, master over all. Then there is the charm- 
ing Blue Girl with her creamy throat and pretty scalloped pinafore. 
They make a very attractive pair. 
White lady. might be called Purity. She is the lovely bride 
of my collection leading the way for all of the lovely pink, blues, 
orchids and'so calied reds. It is with great interest and enthusiasm 
that we visualize the future of the African Violet. 
