1, ,{>i-:'’'< if I ^\M. I i 1 S 1 w;\ : -1 African Violets ■VING COLOR FOR YOUR ROOM About Your Collection . . Are you an African violet enthusiast who wants to grow just the better varieties . . . not' all the varieties? There are so many nowadays! With our second big' African violet greenhouse just completed, we have plenty of room for testing out most of the newer ones you’ve been reading about. No old fashioned kinds take up space here! If you are in our neighborhood (7 Miles North¬ east of Detroit) do try to include a trip to our place if you can. You’ll see 60’ x 90’ of just violets . . . in all sizes and in about 60 choice named varieties plus some very nice unnamed seedlings and a few named seedlings not yet on the market. In our mail order business we sell just 32 varieties . . . the ones we consider “best” in color, flower, growing habit. And remember — our packing is best ever: FOR SUPERIOR SHOW PLANTS — CONSIDER THESE . . BLUE HEIRESS Spectacular 2%” brilliant blue flowers and immense foliage. Your neighbors are sure to exclaim about this profuse bloomer with pencil-thick leaf stems that grow in perfect rosette form. Very husky growth. A Dupont seedling with extra nice “girl” type foliage $2.50 POSTPAID RUFFLED QUEEN Notice the rick-rack edging on every petal! You need not tax your imagination one bit. The edges of every petal are so heavily ruffled and frilled that they have an appearance of being edged with lace of a lighter shade than the rest of the richly colored blossoms. Big blue-burgundy flowers heavily frilled “on the other side” too! Superior bloomer with true Dupont foliage $3.25 POSTPAID SNOW PRINCE Absolutely pure sparkling white flowers that are full, round and honestly bigger than a Silver Dollar. Our healthy plants are anxious to bloom and so easy to grow $2.00 POSTPAID ^ SPECIAL OFFER ^ Three of the most striking violets in our greenhouses this year were: Apple Blossom planted between Purple Knight and Velvet Girl. Beautiful beyond words! You must have this threesome! All 3 plants for $5.00 or $2.00 each postpaid and guaranteed to please. Our shipping season closes No¬ vember 29, late orders held till early Spring, or money refunded if you wish. OUR CATALOG IS FREE' I I ! Violets $1.00 up, Postpaid to any city U. S. A. Catalog- is filled with valuable infoi’mation you should have if you can’t grow all the violets you’ve read about. Spoutz Greenhouses :rican Violet 34365 MORAVIAN DRIVE FRASER, MICHIGAN (Corner of 14% Mile Road and Schoenherr, 7 Miles Northeast of Detroit. ) TELEPHONE: WARREN 5011 i ^ O'^^CPS^ C^ooich (2^uiiin^s i A real opportunity to have the newest and best at reasonable prices. The varieties listed below are i husky carefully grown rooted cuttings of the latsst introductions. And they will be available in ^ early spring. Delivery will be made just as soon after March 1953 as the weather will permit. I Orders will be filled in the order in which they are received. All merchandise is guaranteed to be S from the originator and is authentically named. PINK CHEER — Deep rose pink Glossy quilted leaves rose reverse $1.00 RUFFLED QUEEN — Fringed Dark Burgun¬ dy massive DuPont foliage $.75 DOUBLE FRINGED WHITE — Crystal double frilled white $.75 SIR LANCELOT — The Knight of the bi¬ colors, rich wine velvet $1.00 SUPRITA — King of the reds giant cupped flowers, massive foliage $1.00 DAINTY DUCHESS — Delicate shell pink sweet pea blooms on girl foliage $1.00 VIOLET BEAUTY SUPREME — Extra large pastel lavender blue $.75 ROBINHOOD — Two-toned dark red (almost black) dark green foliage $1.00 TAFFETA — Light lavender bloom taffeta sheen foliage $.75 FRILLED BLUE DELIGHT — White with pastel shading of blue, frilled blooms $.75 PURPLE LACE — Fringed deep purple on beautiful foliage $.75 HOLLY — Blue flowers, dark copperish green foliage $1.00 EVENING SUNSET — A beautiful light blue with an overcast of pink $1.25 GENEVA’S DAUGHTER — Light blue with a tinkling white edge $1.00 BLUE OHIO — Very large DuPont blue. Blooms on DuPont girl foliage $1.00 CHEROKEE — A lovely new deep rich red on beautiful foliage $1.00 APPLE BLOSSOM — Large white pastel shad¬ ings on DuPont foliage $.75 AZURE BEAUTY — White fluffy double blooms shaded light blue $.50 GIANT BI-COLOR — Giant flowers of deep red lavender $.75 BLUE HEIRESS — Large blue on nice DuPont girl foliage $.50 INDIANOLA — Large lavender blue bi-color with a beautiful foliage undertoned with red .$75 INNOCENCE — Pure white flowers on red veined foliage underneath $.50 PURITY — Pure white double flowers $.50 RED PRINCESS — Translucent crimson on good foliage $1.00 Many other standard varieties of cuttings and blooming plants available at reasonable prices, stamp for list. When ordering, please enclose your check or money order and on orders under $5.00 please add 60 for postage and packing. Orders over $5.00 will be sent Postpaid, (^)a({evma KENNETH W. GAINES 4 GREER STREET MOUNT VERNON, OHIO | Officiauly withdrawn from COWUECTION UISRABY African Violet Magazine A §(uarterly Publication CONTENTS Vol. 6 December 1952 No. 2 FRONT COVER: THE EDITOR’S WINDOW GARDEN Page The First Entry John N. Stebbins . 6 Saving Over Grown Plants Helen Potruff . 7 President’s Message . 9 Cyclamen Mite ? Harriet F. Lawton . 10 Testing African Violet Soils H. G. Harvey . 14 Four “Dont’s And One “Do” in African Violet Culture Irene Pendleton . 16 Growing For Pleasure And Success George Hull . 17 Plant Culture Elizabeth C. Stevens . 18 Wanted: Room For More Violets James and Dixie Propp . 19 Root And Crown Rots Of African Violets Austin Ford . 20 Show — News and Views . 21 A Key To The Genus Saintpaulia Evan Roberts . 24 All For A Violet Carl and Betty Hahn . 25 “The Saintpaulia Becomes A Modern Missionary” Maretta C. Wilcox . 26 No So Called “Green Thumb” Needed To Grow Saintpaulia Lorna Anderson . 27 Registration Repoi*t . 28 Solution -- A Lazy Susan Janet Smith . 32 Important Notice . 33 Question Box . 34 Nutrition Of The African Violet (conclusion) Jessie M. Rawson . 37 Short Cuts In Propagating Saintpaulia Lina Eidt . . . ; . 41 Homing Pigeon . 42 Saintpaulias In The Southwest Dorothy Felgar . 48 Doin’ Things In A Big Way Delores Weise . 49 African Violet Culture In Florida Sally Fricks . 50 New Affiliated Chapters . 54 Calling All Men Phil Libby . 58 Club News . 60 Verse . . . . 5, 59 4 EDITORIAL STAFF Alma Wright, Editor Box 1326, Knoxville, Tenn, Mary Parker, Assistant Editor Harrill Hills, Knoxville 18, Tenn. Evan Roberts, Research Editor 355 N. Harrison St., E. Lansing, Mich. Floyd L. Johnson, Advertising Mgr. 79 West Gibson St., Canandaigua, N. Y. Maxine Wangberg, Club Editor 1920 West 3rd, Perry, Iowa. Henry Ten Hagen, Mgr. Veterans Affairs Box 95, Warsaw, N. Y. Contributing Editors - Boyce Edens, Naomi Cotton H. G. Harvey News Reporters - Harriet F. Lawton Emily Hodan Daisy Jones Martha Mears Ruth Dahnke Florence Foltz Homing Pigeon Dept.: Helen Pochurek, News Editor Arthur Road, Solon, Ohio Iva G. Woods, Membership Mgr. 226 High St., New Wilmington, Pa. OFFICERS Floyd L. Johnson, President 79 W. Gibson St. Canandaigua, N. Y. Mrs. W. P. Dahnke, 1st Vice-Pres. 5611 Newton Rd., R. 1 Merriam, Kansas Mrs. E. G. Magill, 2nd Vice-Pres. 707 S. Fourth St. Aurora, Ill. Neil C. Miller, Rec. SecV* La5rton^s Lake Penns Grove, N. J. Mrs. Earl Mutchner, Mem. Sec^. 606 Richmond Ave. Richmond, Ind. Mrs. George R. Klewe, Corr. Sec’y- 873 Gaylord Grove Rd. Cuyahoga Palls, Ohio Boyce M. Edens, Treas. 2694 Lenox Road, N. E. Atlanta, Georgia Jfly Winter OilarJipn The Summer’s gone and I am lost Without my garden flowers. How, through the cold and snowy days Am I to spend the hours? I could by a Christmas Cactus, Dainty Begonias of every hue, Geraniums with leaves white-tipped A Kalanchoe or two. Sansevieria and Nephytis To give a touch of green, A bit of Ivy, a Philodendron Just to complete the theme, or I might fill my picture window With Saintpaulias galore. Now - there’s a Winter Carden How could I wish for-more? 5 Poem by Wilhetonine Kingstone Toronto, Canada I 1 7 r p I t i I l i African Violet plant food m i^^xcm'^ovlf ?oo!>i African Violet Plant Food IN CAPSULE FORM Made Especially for African Violets Safe and Easy to Use DOES NOT CONTAIN POISON OR ANY HARMFUL INGREDIENTS Roigina African Violet Plant Food is manufactured in capsule form for greater convenience. The ORGANIC contents are an essential food for African Violets. Part of the food is available at once. The balance is available as the plant uses it. This pro¬ motes growth, blossoms and intensifies color when used as directed. 54 capsules $1.00 prepaid Free folder on care and culture of African Violets included Available at Your Dealer or Write to ROIGINA PRODUCTS Box 345 Lincoln, Nebr. 6 SAVING OVERGROWN PLANTS Helen Potruff, Mich. No doubt many of you have plants that have out grown themselves — and yet you hate to part with them. Of course cutting off at the soil line and re-rooting the crown has been standard prac¬ tice for a long time. I have an Orchid Beauty that tias bloomed constantly for 3 years. I had already re-potted it twice to cover up the long stem. So I thought I’d try something else. I took off all but two rows of leaves, and after the bleeding stopped, (two days) and the stem was completely healed, I took it out of the pot and gently pulled off half the roots. Then I re¬ potted it in the same pot. Much to my surprise and delight the plant kept right on blooming and has a ring of 7 budded stems coming along quite fast. f Cutting off and re-rooting would have set it back. Taking off the leaves made it easier for the smaller root system to support the plant. Most of my mature plants aren’t too large as I have long been of the opinion that if a plant has to support many leaves, you will have less blossoms. Often times when I have a plant that should be blooming and it doesn’t show new buds forming — 1 find that taking off a couple rows of leaves soon starts the buds moving. Just late¬ ly that happened to my Polka Dot. A month ago I took off three rows of leaves and re-potted the plant, now there is a circle of buds that will all bloom at once. YOU CAN’T CET A BETTER POT FOR AFRICAN VIOLETS 'MTS NATURAL PUMICE STDNE” PL ANTM ASTERS have everything but the soil that is needed for growing indoor plants. The thousands of minute holes provide water ABSORPTION from the bot¬ tom, or DRAINAGE if excess water is placed in the top, AERATION eliminating sour soil, INSULATION protecting the roots from dry room air and sudden tem¬ perature changes. PLAN TM ASTER will absorb water over its entire surface area. No wick necessary - No clogging. 4x4x8 inches. Available in three colors, the natural grey, Mono maroon, and Sierra green. A** PEBBLED METAL TRAYS. CHOICE OF TWO COLORS — RED AND GREEN PLANTMASTER AND TRAY $2.75 POSTPAID I C. □. D. IF YOU LIKE ] UNIHD STATES PUMICE SUPPLY (0. | 6331 Hollywood Blvd. Los Angeles 28, California^ 7 S}«5S5a^5a^5a^3«s^3a^3is^5a^JS^3?^5tt^^3^^32^5a^^ ATTENTION: VIOLET CLUBS, INDI- | VIDUAL COLLECTORS AND DEALERS | WHOLESALE PRICE LIST | Now you can buy the newest varieties of African ^ violets at wholesale prices with no restrictions on ^ number of plants you must order of a variety. If you ^ desire you can order 25 different. All plants shipped in 2%” pots, packed 25 to a box. Please list several tk substitutes in case we are temporarily out of any ^ variety. Shipments are made express collect. The largest plants available are always sent and the ^ single crown plants are in bud and bloom, ready for £ immediate sale. The multiple crown plants are ready § to divide and grow on. IS SHIPPING ALL WINTER IN SPECIAL DOUBLE INSULATED CARTONS NEWEST VARIETIES *1* SINGLE CROWN PLANTS ONLY $1.25 each Albino Apple Blossom Blue Sheen Dbl. Fringed White Evening Sunset Lavender Eclipse Pink Cheer Pink Fantasy Purple Lace Suprita Velvet Girl $1.00 each Autumn Carmen Crazy Quilt Dbl. Neptune Sup. Geneva Daughter Lav. Eyed Beauty Mulberry Girl Pansy Beauty Red Princess Ruffled Queen Star Girl NEWEST VARIETIES SINGLE CROWN — 754 MULT. CROWN — $1.50 Baby Pink Bridesmaid Brussels Sprouts Dbl. Sunset Girl Dbl. Gorg. Bl. Wonder Dbl. Sailor Girl Fringed Dbl. Orchid Violet Beauty Sup. DuPont Delight Fire Chief Magnifico Orchid Spoon Red Lady Red Velvet Girl Star Sapphire Sunset Girl SINGLE CROWN PLANTS OF THESE VARIETIES 754 — MULTIPLE — $1.C Blue Girl Supreme Dbl. Orchid Bicolor Dbl. Rose and White Gorgeous Supreme Navy Bouquet Neptune Supreme Ruffled Beauty Saintpaulia Grotei S. Magungensis S. Tongwensis Ulery Orchid Hybrid Black Beauty Dbl. Lady Geneva Star Innocence Lacy Girl Orchid Velvet Pink Delight Queen Betty Red Chief Royal Girl Wine Velvet SINGLE CROWN PLANTS — 50