The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1902-1905, 1904-12-02

southern homes. the beds are neither
so abundant or thrifty as their beau
ty, adaptation to our conditions and
ease Of cultivation Justify. If the
beds are put out or given proper at
tention in the late fall they will be
things of beauty all winter, supply
ing dainty blossoms W n
cold waves are apt to discourage
most of our other winter favOrites,
and spring into luXurience of pur-
4 pie bloom filling the early spring air
with delightful fragrance.
The violet is a natural inhabitant
of shady hooks, yet many of us who
would never look for wild violets eX-
cept where nature has provided
shade and moisture forget these nat
ural preferences of the plant when
we attempt to cultivate it. The
north side Of house or wall or the
shadow of OVGrhanging trees is the
proper site for the violet bed. The
glaring sunshine of the front yard
where it is so often forced to make a
! desperate attempt at existence,
should be avoided. Though its luxu-
rient foliage offers some excuse for
its selections as Il border plant. this
is not its natural adaptation. 1t
. thrivGs best and makes altogether a
I better appearance when allowed to
| develop in masses, Solid beds are
the effective way for securing the
/ full delight Of violet culture.
| The site of the bed having been
selected, in accordance with these
suggestions, the preparation of the
soil is the next consideration. Like
most plants naturally growing in
moist soil, deep preparation is need
ed for success in their culture. Not
only is the necessary moisture thus
assured, but the common tendency
| of the violet to develop unsightly
/ thick surface roots is in this way
counteracted. The ground should
De plowed or spaded at least ten
! inches deep. A heavy dressing of
! manure or compost should be thor
oughly worked into the soil.
Chicken droppings are excellent for
this purpose.
The plants should be taken care
fully from an old bed, and separated
50 as to leave only good thrifty
| roots for the plants transplanted.
! Beds which have yellOwed or spotted
leaves, looking as thouge hot Goals
or an acid had been sprinkled over
the bed, should be carefully avoided,
us these are affected by the violet
! blight, which easily spreads to
healthy plants and even infects the
soil in which they grow. The Sc
! lected plants should be carefully
| transplanted by hand. the soil hav-
| ing been first watered till it is
| thoroughly moist. The plants should
be set to inches apart, and the
rows be made II to 10 inches apart
Until thoroughly rooted the plants
should be watered daily, later only
an occasional sprinkling will be
needed eNcepl in case of prOtracted
| absence of rain.
| For time all blossoms should be
carefully plucked as soon as they
appear This furthers rapid growth
Of the plants, and also tends to the
later development of flowers with
extra long stems, which make the
bloom so much more desirable. The
| bed should be cultivated often
enough to keep the surface mellow.
| With the advent of the first warm
days of February the plants will be-
| gin to be purple with bloom. This
~ Ivy u sPil ny In'Wers illusI an
at feast n week Dnring this fine
the bed should receive two thorough
sOakings of water in which one table
spoon full of nitrate of soda has been
| dissolved for each gallon. The re-
suit will be a most astonishing de-
velopment Of dark green foliage with
masses of purple flowers. These
flowers will have particularly long
stems and thus be most desirable
not only on the bed. but for house
decoration. All dealers in fertili-
zers keep the nitrate of soda. most
truck growers and grove men use it
so that it is easily found. 1t is a
specific for healthy violet plants and
long stemmed flowers.
Later in the season should the TO-
liage show signs of blight, or firing.
sprinkle with q solution of sulphide
OF potash, = on. to the gallon of wa
ter. Plants badly affected had best
be removed from the bed. ms they
are source of contamination to the
healthy plants. The seat of this di-
sease is in the roots, and mere sur
face wetting will not suffice: the
ground must be thoroughly soaked
by the remedy.
nr,v.rIov. ,xsu.pn,,n
- - i
Y. no" hlecn coItoh-seed meal
tll"H W S@l9i& l'u 70 lHISe COW Ill |
'ulI LILLE. ny 40 northern DAIRY
u'eii ""' -" caution III IeeuIhS thls |
Hlt"I'
a -" PoSltlEe rune can pe given.
IL Is not SO lllucu question OF now |