Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1901-02-28

VIOLET CULTURE.
by a PhenomenaIIy successful Gro

From the middle of February to
the midle of March we select young
Giants, those having white roots, from
ood, healthy crowns. These will be
Io4ld in abundance on good clumps,
es. ecially Campbell. These we put in
boxes filed with soil. No manure is
used. Our object is to get plenty of
good working roots. This will pay for
the extra labor if only to combat the
red spider alone, the great scourge Of
the violet grower.
Here we have large lot of plants
in a small space, easily syringed and
cared for. Use boxes in preference to
setting the plants in beds, as the soil
dries out sooner in boxes, allowing us
to syringe them Oftener This is i'm
possible with plants left on the crowns
until after the blooming season, as so
much water would spoil the flower for
Easter. These plants are shaded from
strong sunlight and handled as cut
tings until they have become thorough
ly established in the boxes. Give them
plenty Of fresh air, but avoid strong
draft. In ventilating our houses dur
ing the winter months we always open
the ventilators ON the opposite side
from which the wind is blowing. Never
neglect these young plants, for upon
them largely depends your future fail
ure or success" This advice is that of
a phenomenally successful eastern
grower given before a convention Of
hnp ricfc Tnndnn OF hiS fnrfhnr
remarks, we arrive at the following
facts:
About the middle of May he begins
taking out the old plants and all soil
put in the previous year. After all de-
cayed lumber has been replaced with
new he closes all ventilators, making
the house as tight as possible, allowing
the temperature to run as high as the
bright sun of this season of the year
will make it. After a day or two Of
this, when the house cools down at
night, there Is a fine incubator for in
sects and fungus.
He leaves the house in this condition
for two or three bright days, then in
the evening takes in q liberal amount
Of sulphur and sets it on fire, making
thorough fumigation; in the morning
opens the ventilators, giving the house
plenty of fresh air, and then has a
house as fresh and clean as when new.
The new beds are made of sod about
an inch thick, grass side down, covered
with two inches Of quite coarse corn
stalk manure brought from the COW
yard in early spring and turned twice,
with four inches of good soil on this.
No fertilizer or manure Of any kind IL
mixed with this. Before setting plants
the house is shaded with thin white
wash with a little salt in it, followed
by a coat of light colored clay mixed
with water.
Boxes Of young plants are now
brought in. These plants are set IL
inches apart each way in order to grow
them large with good, long stems As
soon as the plants are in the beds re-
ceive a good wetting and are carefully
syringed late in the afternoon or early
evening Notwithstanding good author
ity to the contrary. No tobacco, soap,
nothing but clear water, is used to keep
them clean through the summer
About Aug. ] water is withheld at
night spraying them in early morning.
Every effort is made to keep plants in
best condition, for the spot" season Is
approaching. About the middle Of Au-
gust they receive top dressing from
the same heap used In filling the beds.
1--WE make special mention of cornstalk
manure, as we find this to contain little
or no fungus and is never too strong to
hurt anything. To our minds overfer-
tilization is one of the great stumbling
blocks of violet growing"
About Sept. plants and houses are
cleaned up ready for the blooming sea-
son, beginning about the middle of
September. The object Is to get good
crop about the 1st of October. before
they become very plentiful, and to sup
ply the retail dealer every day there
after till after Easter. This mode OF
culture is for the Lady Campbell vari-
ETY.. Marie Louise needs different treat
ment.