The first, and for a long time the only variety cultivated, was Verbena melindres, or chamadrifolia; but it now appears lost among the new and superior kinds which have been raised from seed. In form, it has been repeatedly excelled, but its creeping habit and abundance of bloom must always recommend it, though we doubt if at the present time it can be obtained at any of our green-houses, and probably few of our younger cultivators have ever seen this once popular variety. The color is scarlet, and though perhaps equalled, can never be excelled. Many other earlier varieties might be mentioned, but, although interesting, it would too much extend the limits of this article.

Verbena multifida,' with lilac purple flowers, was introduced from Peru; Verbena Tweediana, with rose crimson flowers, from Brazil; and from these, and a few other varieties and seedlings, have sprung all the numerous varieties, many hundred in number, which may be found in extensive collections. The credit of introducing this plant into the United States belongs to Robert Buist, of Philadelphia. About the year 1835, from seed received from Buenos Ayres, he raised the first white, pink, and crimson verbenas. The plant soon became generally known, and was every where a favorite; in the floral world it caused

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quite an excitement, and the original kinds were soon surpassed, in every respect, by newer seminal varieties.

The culture of the verbena is very simple. The plants will bloom with very little care, but to grow them in perfection requires attention; of thousands of plants of any size, scarcely one is a fine specimen. Let us, beginning in early spring, trace the plant, as generally grown, and then see how much a little care might increase its beauty.

About the first of February, cuttings of the young shoots are taken from old plants: in a sandy loam, a few weeks, and sometimes a few days, will suffice to root them; they are then potted off into thumb pots, and, if placed near the glass, will soon show a terminal flower. As soon as the season is sufficiently advanced, these young plants are bedded out, and, in favorable seasons, soon form a conspicuous feature in the flower garden, continuing to bloom till long after the early frosts. About the first or middle of September, the gardener begins to re-pot his plants for winter, and the common practice is to take a runner, which has rooted well at a joint, and, after suitable pruning, to pot it for winter blooming and propagation. Others, again, take up the old roots, while others, by sinking pots in their verbena bed, about midsummer, allowed the runners to root directly

in the pots; the pots being taken up, and the connection with the mother plant cut, the young plant receives no injury or check. But this mode is very objectionable, for two reasons: first, the loam in the pots is apt to become sour and sodden; and again, earthworms often enter the pots, and prove injurious during the winter. The plants are housed, and, for a long time, produce no flowers, and are any thing but ornamental. Soon after the new year, they begin to grow vigorously, but are allowed to trail carelessly over the staging, or droop from some hanging shelf. No care or attention is bestowed upon them, except to give the daily supply of water.

The days grow towards spring. Cuttings are again taken off; the same process is repeated year after year; and thus one of our loveliest flowers, which, with a little care, might be one of the greatest attractions and ornaments of our green-houses, is never seen in perfection, except in the garden.

That this is the fact, is to be deplored; yet the remedy is simple. By beginning about midsummer, we may have verbenas in bloom as well during the winter as the spring months. About the first of August, or earlier, cuttings should be taken from desirable varieties. In a fortnight

they will be ready to transplant. Pot them in thumb pots, and re-pot as soon as the roots touch the sides of the pot. Keep them in vigorous growth by affording plenty of light. and air, being careful they never suffer from want of water. Pinch off the leading shoots, to cause all axillary buds to break, and in no case allow them to bloom. Train the plant in any form desired, but be careful not to permit it to grow too straggling. When other plants are housed, remove your verbenas to some warm shelf, where they may have the morning sun, and on every favorable day give plenty of air, and fumigate well to destroy green aphis. Your plants will soon be in luxuriant bloom, long before those potted in the common way have shown a bud, and will continue to afford an abundance of flowers until late in the spring. To grow verbenas well in the house in summer is far easier. They may be bloomed in pots of any size, and trained in almost any form, the only requisites being. plenty of light and air, careful pruning, and means to destroy aphis and keep off mildew.

One great fault in growing verbenas is the practice of watering too copiously. The plant, as originally found, grows on dry hills; and damp not only produces mildew, but rots the roots, and thus destroys or produces disease in the plant.

The proper soil for verbenas, is two parts of loam, two of leaf mould, with an admixture of sand, and in this we have found them grow and bloom luxuriantly.

Many verbenas, which for green-house blooming are unsurpassed, are worthless for bedding purposes; the petal of the flower being too thin, or the color fading or changing. Again, some bloom well in winter, others far better in summer; some form large masses and flower well, others are of rambling growth and poor bloomers; some of creeping, others of more upright habit; while a few possess every desirable quality; and in making a selection, all these properties are to be considered.

We have said that seedlings were produced with great ease. The verbena seeds well where the plants have not been too long propagated by cuttings. A long-continued propagation by cuttings seems to diminish the power of the plants to produce seed, and, as a general rule, the further removed a plant is from a seedling, the less the chance of its perfecting good seed. The seeds may be sown in a hotbed or green-house, early in spring, and the plants, when about an inch and a half high, pricked out in the border; it is a good plan to pinch out the leading shoot, as thus the plants branch and become stronger; the plants grow rapidly, and soon show bloom.