Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-07-21
VIRGINIA VIOLET FARMS
WORKOUT PROPERTIES UTILIZED
TO SPLENDID ADVANTAGE.
How the Young Plants Are Cultivated
Single and Double Varieties
Profit on One Plant.
From the Ssw York Tribune.

1.-THE worn-out farms of Virginia. princi-
pally in Albemarle and adjacent counties,
of late have been turned to good account
by their owners, who have directed their
attention to violet growing. The violet in
dustry is spreading rapidly in that section,
and the growers, the most successful of
whom are women, employ small negro boys
to carry on the work, which, while not
laborious, is tedious, for the violets require
constant attention. The greater part of the
yield is taken by Philadelphia dealers. Al
though they are not making wealthy the
growers are receiving substantial returns
and find this new industry more profitable
than ordinary farming
" The great violet-growing center is
Poughkeepsie, N. y says DR.. B. F. Gal
loway Of the Department of Agriculture
who has had the violet hobby for years
He is the author Of several books on the
subject of profit in violet raising. All vio-
lets from this district find ready market
| In New York city, and as the demand for
them is increasing yearly promising field
Is opened for the young, energetic and in
telligent men and women of today.
answering question to why the vio-
let has always been popular flower, DR..
Galloway said that for four or five months
In the year the public has violets at all.
1t is only from the middle of October to the
end of Easter time that violets are in sea-
son, and when they do arrive they are in
abound all the year round. There Is also
certain delicacy, modesty, about the
violet that makes it always wanted. while
It's perfume Is another important point in
its favor
only two Of the double varieties Of vt.-
let's are grown-the Maria Louise and the
Lady Hume Campbell. There are many
kinds of single flowers, which, while beau
tfful and fragant, not popular. This Is
matter of taste, however. In Europe
especially in Paris. the single violets are in
great demand There is growing demand
for the single violet in this country, how
ever The old-fashioned way of growing
violets. borrowed from the English twenty
nve or thirty years ago, was in cold
frames These were cheap. box-like ar
rangements put up and covered over in
winter with glass sash. AS the demand
increased 1t was seen that this method of
culture was not practical. Dealers in the
cities were unable to secure the flowers at
times. as the frames would be covered with
two or three feet of snow. and it would be
impossible Tor 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 obvi-
ated. From this evolved the regular violet
houses OF the present time properly heale
and ventilated and so constructed that they
can be reached at all times. Still great
number of violets grown in frames and
for the beginners 1t is the best plan to
adopt on account Of its cheapness, as val
liable experience can thus be won at slight
expense
''Violets 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 remain year after
year. but this is unsatisfactory, as each
years crop shows a decrease in the num-
Der and the size of the flowers The best
results are obtained by replanting every
year start should be made every spring
with young onShootS-baby plants-planted
IN small boxes. AS soon as they make
good roots they should be planted directly
10 where they are to stand all summer.
1t Is at this time that they should be care
fully watched. Dead leaves and runners
should be taken off and the plant made to
contract. each forming bushy crown BY
the middle of September. If properly treat
ed, these plants should cover the entire
ground. By the 1st of October they begin
| to blossom. AT first the flowers are small
and. consequently, of little or no value
October they are sufficiently large, how
ever, to send to market, and Immediately
bring a good price.
"Violets generally sell for not less than
cent apiece and when the average of a
single plant is fifty flowers a season, and,
with good care, a hundred, the profit can
be readily seen. In the vicinity of every
city violet raising could be made profita Bile
Any land that will grow potatoes, made
rich by the addition of fertilizer, proves
excellent breeding ground for violets. In
starting violet house care must be taken
to see that there are proper facilities for
shipping, although a person from four to
six hours from the city can ship to good
advantage.
| I'm the Virginia violet farms, after the
young oHshoots have been transplanted
into open frames, rolling wooden screens
are used on the top of the frames to regu-
| late the amount of sunshine which shall
| be admitted to the plants