168 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
March  2,  1895. 
VIOLAS,  NEW  AND  OLD. 
'  Perhaps  nt  no  period  in  its  history  has  the  Viola  of  our  gardens 
been  so  popular  and  widely  grown  as  at  the  present  time,  and  this 
popularity,  fertunately,  is  not  oocfined  to  gentlemen’s  gardeners, 
but  is  spread  amongst  amateur  gardeners  in  all  parts  of  Biitain. 
This  love  of  the  Viola  has  encouraged  specialists  to  raise  and'  dis- 
1  tribute  every  year  enormous  quintities  of  new  varieties;  nearly 
every  grower  has  a  new  sort  which  has  (in  his  eyes)  some  out¬ 
standing  quality  belter  than  his  neighbour.  This  is  all  very  well 
if  he  keeps  his  gems  at  home,  but  if  all  that  arc  offered  were  sold 
at  2s.  6d.  each  to  all  other  lovers  of  the  flower,  it  would  mean 
bankruptcy  to  some  of  them.  "With  the  view  of  affording  beginners 
some  reliable  information  on  new  and  old  varietje.«,  I  wt  nt  through  an 
extensive  collection  when  the  ])lants  were  in  bloom  and  noted  those 
most  suitable  for  showing,  bedding,  and  affording  flowers  for  cutting. 
Superior  New  Violas. 
Blue  Border. — Dwarf,  sturdy  habit;  free-flowering;  purple  edge, 
white  centre;  good  for  show  or  bedding  purjioses. 
White  Hart. — Not  a  pure  white,  has  a  slatey  lint  through  it  ;  is  a 
first-rate  bedder. 
Lord  Malcolm. — A  purple  self,  very  strong  yet  sturdy  grower; 
splendid  for  showing  in  spray.®,  but  not  free-flowering. 
Borneo. — Not  of  robust  habit,  but  is  a  delightiul  flower;  purple 
striped  with  white  and  pink ;  a  novel  colour. 
Jeannie  P.  Bobertson,- — White  margined  with  lavender;  a  chaste 
flow'er,  rather  tall  grower  ;  a  beauty  for  exhibiting. 
Juliet. — Grand  foliage,  very  strong  grower,  purple  and  white,  like 
the  old  and  well-known  Countess  of  Kintore,  but  much  better; 
excellent  for  show  or  bedding. 
Alida.  —  White  edged  with  mauve  ;  a  very  compact  growing 
variety,  tree  flowering,  and  the  flowers  have  the  merit  ot  having  lung 
stems,  therefore  are  suitable  for  table  decoration. 
Good  Older  Varieties. 
Duchess  of  Fife,  primrose  edged  with  blue,  is  still  one  of  the  best, 
especially  for  exhibition.  Duchess  of  York  is  a  fine  white.  George 
Lord,  primrose  and  rayless,  is  suitable  for  any  purpose.  So  is  Flow'er 
of  I'.iy,  cn  am  colour. 
J.  B.  Hiding,  a  deep  mauve,  has  a  fine  habit,  and  is  first -class  for 
show  or  bedding.  Ilaujish,  crimsou  and  purple,  is  fine  for  showing,  the 
flowers  being  largo.  Hamlet  is  one  of  the  most  novel  colours  I  know, 
rich  crimson  and  scarlet  flaked  with  purple  and  pink,  1  irge  flowers;  a 
s[)len(hd  show  flower.  Lina  is  another  tine  flower,  either  for  show  or 
bedding;  first-class  habit,  free  flowering;  the  colour  is  blue-black  and 
lavender. 
Prince  of  Orange,  very  deep  yellow,  is  a  capital  bedder.  Princess 
Louise,  pale  yellow,  e.xcelicnt  habit.  Pembroke  is  rather  fall,  but  the 
flower  is  very  fine  indeed.  Norah  May  is  a  pale  lavender ;  a  large, 
chaste,  and  beautiful  flower,  useful  for  any  purpose. 
Princess  of  Wales,  a  rayless  yellow  self,  forms  very  compact  tufts. 
Sylvia  is  a  raylet-s  primrose  flower  and  fine,  bedder.  Mrs.  th  F. 
'  Gordon,  lavender  blue,  a  good  sliow  flower  or  bedder.  Stobhill  Gem 
is  veiy  similar.  Princess  Ida,  rosy  heliotrope,  is  fine  for  show  or 
bedding.  Mozambique  is  similar  to  Mrs.  Gonlon  but  not  so  gcxid. 
'Marchioness,  a  fine  creamy  white  self,  is  a  prolific  bloomer,  and  one  of 
the  best  lor  bedding.  Ho.sa  Pallida,  a  dwarf  grower,  pale  lavender,  i> 
'very  effective  in  line  and  beds. 
Mrs.  J.  Donelly  is  a  real  bedding  Viola,  being  of  flat  growth  and 
extremely  floriferous.  White  Duchess,  a  light  sport  from  Duchess  of 
Fife,  is  very  chaste.  Royalty  is  a  fine  bedding  yellow,  so  is  the 
dwarf  growing  large-leaved  Lord  Elcho,  which,  thougn  uld,  is  very 
good  and  reliable.  Jessie  Prestwell,  white  striped  with  ruse  and 
purple,  is  a  lovely  show  flower.  Archie  Grant,  a  large  blue  flower, 
with  fine  foliage,  is  still  one  of  the  best  of  all  bedders. 
A.  J.  Rowberry  is  one  of  the  finest  yellow  Vio'as  yet  raised — a 
smooth  rayless  flower,  good  for  any  purpose.  Cecilia,  creamy  white 
edged  With  pmk,  is  a  sjtlendid  show  flower.  Dandie  Dinmont,  purple, 
is  good  for  exhibition  only.  Florizel,  blush  lilac,  fine  free  growth  ;  a 
beautiful  variety.  Edina,  dark  blue  with  white  markings,  fine  for 
bedding  or  show.  Devonshire  Cnam  is  an  excellent  show  flower; 
and  Favourite  a  grand  bedaer  of  good  habit.  Mrs.  Charles  Turner  is  a 
first-rate  bedding  blue ;  so  also  is  True  Blue,  raised  by  the  late  Mr. 
M  m.  Dean,  who  always  maintained  it  was  the  best  bedding  blue  Viola 
grown — and  it  is  one  of  them. 
Ot  the  sweet-scented  tufted  Violettas  there  are  many  varieties, 
none  however  surpassing  the  original  creamy  white,  “  Violetta.”  'J'hi.s 
makes  a  delightful  edging  to  any  bed,  and  should  be  left  undisturbed 
for  some  years.  Gold  Crest,  deep  golden  yellow,  and  Oliver,  a  blue  self, 
are  abo  good  ;  so  is  Picotee,  a  striped  variety. 
To  succeed  with  Violas  they  must  be  well  cultivated.  They  are 
not  particular  as  to  soil;  but  it  should  be  deeply  dug,  and  have  a 
generous  admixture  of  good  well  decayed  manure.  One  very  essential 
point,  too,  is  to  plant  early,  e.specially  in  the  South  of  England  ;  Jate 
planting  is  simply  courting  failure.  As  soon  as  the  ground  is  in, any¬ 
thing  like  good  condition  the  plants  should  be  put  in,  say,  the  second 
week  in  March,  and  in  May.  if  at  all  possible,  they  ought  to  have  a 
mulching  of  some  sort.  If  Violas  can  be  left  for  two  or  three  setisons 
undisturbed  and  well  looked  after,  glorious  displays  are  the  result;  not 
show  flowers  perha[s,  but,  better  than  that,  plenty  of  show  in  the 
garden. — Viola. 
FLOWERING  PLANTS  FROM  SEED. 
Many  useful  plants  for  cutting  and  decoration  may  be  readily 
grown  from  seeds.  At  the  present  period  of  the  year  nearly  all  seed 
wiiich  is  sown  .'-hould  be  sown  in  pans  or  boxes  which  can  be  placed 
in  heat,  as  by  this  means  germination  is  more  Quickly  insured,  and 
the  seedlings  make  considerate  headway  in  time  for  transplantation 
into  other  boxes  or  a  slightly  heated  frame  where  they  are  able 
to  become  strengthened  prior  to  being  planted  out  finally. 
Marguerite  Carnations  quickly  germinate  now.  Sow  on  the  sur¬ 
face  of  light  soil  placed  in  boxes  or  pots,  and  cover  the  seed  lightly 
with  fine  soil. 
Lobelias  for  bedding  are  easily  grown  from  seed.  Wide,  shallow 
pans  are  the  best.  Give  ample  drainage,  and  fill  with  a  mixture  of 
light  loam  and  leaf  soil,  making  the  surface  fine  and  smooth.  Distribute- 
the  seeds  as  evenly  as  possible,  and  dredge  a  mere  covering  of  soil 
or  fine  sand  over  them  through  a  sieve.  Place  in  a  little  bottom  heat 
and  cover  with  glass  and  paper.  The  seeds  soon  germinate,  but  great 
care  must  be  taken  with  the  seedlings  to  prevent  their  being  spoiled 
with  too  dry  heater  excessive  sunlight. 
Campanula  pyramidalis  can  be  raised  without  heat,  but  it  is  arv 
advantage  to  sow  the  seeds  at  once  in  pots  of  moist  soil  and  jjDce  in 
gentle  heat.  After  germination  expose  .to,  light  in  a  cool  house  and 
transplant  the  seedlings  early,  later  on  potting  them  sinuly.  These 
plants  do  not  flower  the  first  season  j  but  it  is  a  distinct  gain  to  enable 
them  to  have  a  long  season  of  growth,  with  several  repottings,  so 
that  the  plants  may  be  strong  for  flowering  finely  the  next  season. 
PenLtemons  may  now  be  produced  from  seed,  and  the  plants  result¬ 
ing  will,  with  good  and  liberal  treatment,  flower  The  same  sea-on. 
Fill  a  wide  seed  pan  or  shallow  box  with  good  loam  and  leaf  soil  in  a 
moist  condition.  Make  firm  and  level,  and  sow  the  seeds  thinly,  just 
covering  with  fine  soil.  Cover  with  glass  to  prevent  evaporation. 
A  slight  bottom  heat  will  be  enough  to  give  the  seeds  a  start,  and 
when  the  seedlings  have  appeared  above  the  soil  raise  the  receptaclo 
close  to  the  glass  in  a  warm  hou-e.  When  large  enough  to  transplant 
give  them  more  room  in  other  boxes,  from  which  they  may  be  finally 
planted  in  a  position  for  flowering. 
Antirrhinums  when  raised  early  appreciate  a  little  heat,  but  after 
germination  has  well  commenced  give  a  cooler  position.  Any  light 
open  mixture  will  suffice,  making  it  fine  on  the  surface,  as  the  seeds- 
arc  very  small.  Merely  dust  over  them  a  light  covering  of  soil  or 
sand.  Prick  out  the  seedlings  an  inch  or  two  apart  in  boxes  or  a 
frame,  so  that  they  may  enlarge  and  strengthen  for  the  final  planting. 
The  dwarf  varieties  should  be  sown  and  grown  separately  Irom  the 
tall. 
Verbenas  are  bedding  plants  which  can  be  grown  from  seeds  as 
well  as  from  cuttings.  Place  some  good  light  soil  in  boxes  and  sow 
the  seeds  thinly  on  the  surface,  which  should  be  moistened  previously. 
Cover  the  .seeds  with  a  thin  layer  of  soil.  When  the  seedlings  have 
attained  sufficient  s  ze  prick  them  off  into  boxes  or  pot  singly. 
Primroses  and  Polyanthuses  make  fine  plants  if  seed  is  sown  in 
pots  and  the  seedlings  pricked  out  in  a  cold  Irame  in  May,  watering 
treelv  in  dry  weather. 
Ten-week  Stocks  require  .sowing  a  little  earlier  than  Asters,  and 
ought  to  be  sown  thinly  so  that  each  seedling  may  have  a  chance  of 
growing  sturdilv.  There  will  then  be  less  mortality  among  them. 
Stocks  being  very  subject  to  damping  off  if  the  seedlings  are  crowded. 
-E.  D.  S. 
PRIMULAS  AT  WORDSLEY. 
The  Primula  of  to-day  bears  little  resemblance  to  its  prototype  of  the 
sinensis  lamily  of  sixty  years  ago,  and  scarcely  any  of  the  florists’ 
flowers  have  been  improved  with  such  rapidity.  The  weak,  puny  flower 
of  that  period,  elevated  on  attenuated  flower  stalks,  has  developed  into 
flowers  borne  in  trusses,  splendid  in  size  and  substance,  rising  from  bold 
stout  Ibliage.  With  the  most  careful  hydiidisation,  followed  by  the  same 
care  in  selection,  we  appear  to  have  arrived  at  the  time  when  the  Primula 
as  a  winter  and  spring  embellisher  of  greenhouses  and  conservatories 
must  always  remain  the  flower  par  excellence.  With  the  advance  above 
noted  Messrs.  Webb  4:  Sons  have  kept  abreast  ot  the  times.  One  of  the 
.Arm's  finest  productions  is  named  Purity,  and.  amongst  tne  several  houses 
full  of  fine  varieties  Purity  stands  forth  as  one  of  the  most  charm¬ 
ing.  The  plants  are  vigorous  and  full  of  health.  The  dark  red  broozy 
foliage,  borne  on  stout  footstalks,  is  surmounted  by  the  pure  vibite  flowers. 
