The Afro-American advance., 1900-09-15
FOR ABANDONED FARMS.
wors-out propertIe. are Utilised to
Splendid Advantage by Grows
liaR vfoiets. .

principally in Albemar1e and adjacent
| counties. OF late have been turned TO
good account by thei- owne-E, who
baye directed their attention TO vice:
growing. The violet industry is sprend
ing rapidly in that section and the
growers, the most successful Of whom
are women, ernp.oy small negro boys
to carry on the work. which, while not
laborious, is tediou9. for the sioiets re-
quire constant attention. The greater
part Of the yield is aiken by PhiladeL
phia dealers.. Although they are not
making wealthy the growers are re.
ceiying substantial returns an6 find
this new industry more profitable than
ordinary farming.
"The great violet growing center IL
Poughkeepsie, \. Y" says DIR. B. F. Cal
loway, Of the department OF agricuf
ture, who, according to the New Yorl
Tribune, has had the violet hobby for
years. He is the author of several
books on the subject Of prof; in violet
raising. All Yiolets from this district
find ready market in New York city
and as the demand fo- them is increas-
ing yearly a promising field is opened
for the young. energetic and intelligent
men and women .. to-day.
Answering a question as TO why the
violet has always bee1 popular flower,
DR.. Galloway said that for four or Ave
months in the year the public has nc
violets at all. II is only from the mid.
die Of October TO the end of Easter
time that the vioiets are IL season, and
when they do arrive they are in great
demand On the contrary. rosef
abound all the year round. There Is
also certain delieacy, a modesty, about
the violet that makes II always want
ed, while its perfume Is another point
In its favor.
! Only two of the double varieties OF
violets are grown-the Maria Louis
and the Lady Hume Campbell. There
are many kinds OF single flowers, which
while beautiful and fragrant, are moi
popular. This Is matter OF taste
however. In Europe, especially in Paris
the single violets are in great demand
There is a growing demand for the
single violet in this country, however
The o.d-fashioned way OF growing
yiolets, borrowed from the English 2;
and 30 years ago, was in 'eold frames
These were cheap, boxlike arrange.
ments put up and covered over in win.
ter with a glass sash. As the demand
increased It was seen that this me thoC
! OF culture was not practical, Dealers
in the cities were unable TO secure the
flowers al times, as the frames would
be covered with two or three feet OF
snow, and 1t would be impossible for
the growers TO get at them.
American ingenuity took a hand at
this point and cellars were constructed
adjacent to the beds, and this difficulty
was obyiated. From this evolved the
regular violet houses Of the present
time, properly heated and ventilated
and so constructed that they can be
reached at all times. Still great mum.
ber OF ylolets are grown in frames, and
7 for the beginners 1t is the best plan
to adopt on account Of its cheapness
as valuable experience can thus be
won at slight expense.
Vio.ets to be successful must BE-
grown entirely from cuttings. Young
offshoots taken early in the spring give
the most satisfactory results. In some
cases the old plants are allowed to re.
main year after year, but this is unsat.
isfactory. as each years crop shows .
decrease In the number and the size
OF the flowers. The best results are
obtained by replanting every year. a
start should be made every spring
with your offshoots-baby plants
planted in small boxes. As soon a.
they make good roots they should be
planted directly 20 where they are to
stand all summer. IL Is at this time
that they should be carefully watched
Dead leaves and runners should be
taken of and the plant made TO con.
tract, each forming a bushy crown.
BY the middle Of September, II prop.
erly treated, these plants should cover
the entire ground. by October they
begin TO blossom. At first the flowers
are small, and. consequently. OF little
or no value and are thrown away. BY
the middle of October they are suffi.
ciently large. however, TO send 10 mar
ket, and Immediately bring a good
price.
Niolets generally sell for not less
than a cent apiece, and when the aver.
age of a single plant is so flowers a sea.
son, and, with good care. 100. the profit
can be readily seen. In the vicinity OF
every city violet raising could he made
profitable, Any land that will grow
potatoes, made rich by the addition of
fertilizer, proves excellent breeding
ground for violets. In starting a violet
house care must be taken to see that
there are proper facilities for ship
ping, although a person from four to
six hours from the city can ship to
good advantage.
In the Virginia violet farms. after
the young offxhoots have been trans
planted into open frames, rolling
wooden screens are used ON the top
Of the frames 70 regulate the amount
OF sunshine which shall be admitted to
the plants.