Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-11-04
VI0LETS IN WINTER
PROPER EQUIPMENT NECESSARY
FOR THE AMATEUR.
A Woman May Grow a Daily Bunch
Of the Sweet Blossoms Dur
ing Cold Weather.
From the New York Tribune.

Any woman may have a daily bunch of
violets from December to March If she is
willing to take a little trouble; but it Is
only at the price of eternal vigilance
that she can hope to be successful. That
is to say, she must adapt herself to their
habits of living and never neglect them.
In starting violets, as in anything else
worth doing well, begin in a small way.
II is better to have two frames perfectly
cared for than dozen handled with in
experience. About fifty plants in two
frames are quite enough to begin on.
1t Is not too late to start a violet frame
even now, if good pot-grown plants are
bought from reliable dealer. In fact,
If a woman wishes to get in touch with
V1OletS 1T would be good plan for her to
begin at once with one cold frame She
will have some blossoms to reward her
care during the winter, and can propa-
gate her own cuttings in the spring so
as to have all the plants she wishes for
another season. The first thing to pre-
boards for the sides and a glass sash for
the top, the back board being twelve
inches high and the front eight inches, to
make the watershed. The sides are well
grooved SO that the sash will fit tight
when closed. Many violet growers think
that violets do better when the frame is
simply placed on the ground without dig
ging 1T up. as 1T affords better drainage
and then filing the box with soil nre,
pared for the purpose. A good formula
is one part wel1-rotted manure to four
parts ordinary pasture soil. the saying
being that amy soil that grows good pO-
tatoeS Will grow good violets."
Choice Of the Soil.
Rotted turf makes the best soil of all,
as the hbers keep the earth from pack
ing ana any one who wishes to grow
Violets on a larger scale should cut turf
stroy the insect life before mixing it
with the manure 1t can then he left in
plies ready for spring work
But to go back to the frame After
ming the wooden box with the prepared
sou sou TO within about three inches from the
TOP nave the outside of the boxes we'll
packed, first with stable manure, then with
straw or litter, to the top of the box The
frame is now ready for the plants. Take
these from their potts. put carefully in the
earth, and water thoroughly around the
roots without wetting the leaves If the
weather is at all cold, let the sash remain
closed for day or two, after which open
1t daily. leaving 1t open all day if there Is
no frost, and covering it early In the after
noon for the night. When the weather
gets colder open 1t couple of inches
every day for several hours. Watering
with diluted COW manure water once a
week for month helps the blooming, but
1t should be poured between the plants,
not on the roots. Every runner should be
cut OlI dS soon as IL appears. water should
be used with judgment and the state of
the soil watched carefully. In freezing
weather mats made of burlap interlined
with straw. or wooden shutters, should be
laid over the sash at night.
Propagating the Plants.
The old-fashioned way Of propa eating
violets was to divide the crown and many
growers will adhere to this method. 1t Is
done by taking up the violets when they
have done blooming in the spring, and
pulling the roots apart. Those pieces that
have clean white roots covered with little
rootlets keep for the new plants, the
scrawny pieces may as well be thrown
away. Put the others in open frame
filled with a mixture of rich soil and stand
in rows about three inches apart. The
young plants must be watched carefully
and syringed every bright day to keep off
insects. In six or eight weeks plants set
out in this way will be ready to trans
plant
The reason why this method is growing
out Of favor is that the various diseases
which viOlets are subject to are perpetu-
ated in this way, and also because 1t Is
apt to weaken the stock, while third OBJ
lection is that the dividing of the crown
can only be done after the plant is through
blooming. and hot weather is apt to come
on before the young plant is fairly started.
Another method is TO cut off the runners
and throw them into a box with a cover
to prevent their whiting until sufficient
number have Deen cOliecleO fIepdfe
rotted manure and sod by rubbing them,
through coarse sieve, then make bottom
to box with laths nailed on quarter OF
an inch apart Put moss or excelsior over
the bottom and then the soil, so that 1t is
higher than the edge of the box. After
ward, with a brick. press the soil down
half an inch below the edge and set out
the cuttings, shading them from the sun.
and watering them well. After few days
the boxes can be set in a cold frame with
whitewashed glass. They must be care
fully watched; the air must be kept moist
and all insects kept down until they are
well rooted.
third method is to take cuttings in
February from the crowns. which can be
rooted in the same way. but in any event
new plants must be propagated every year
to make a satisfactory showing the next
season. The Marie Louise for the double
and the California sweet violet for the
single are the hardest and easiest to
raise The plants can be kept through the
summer in open frames. well shaded from
the sun and watered frequently. Then,
in September. they can be covered at night
to keep off the dews from opening them
wide in the day time.