Plate :S76. 

 FANC1 VERBENAS. 



It cannot have escaped the notice of lovers of flowers that, 

 amongst those which arc popularly called florists' flowers, there 

 has from time to time been introduced a class, novel in their 

 colouring, and, at first, avoiding all the rules laid down by florists 

 as to whal constitutes perfection, then afterwards giving waj 

 to the perseverance of the hybridizer. Thus, the Pansy, the 

 Dahlia, the Geranium, the Carnation have all their fancj class; 

 and of late years the Verbena (owing to the introduction of 

 some Italian' varieties raised by MM. Cavignini, of Brescia) is 

 to be included in the list. We have, indeed, a few English- 

 raised striped Verbenas, but they are not sufficient to form a 

 class ; this, however, the Italian raisers have done for us. 



As far back as 1864, we figured some of these Italian novel- 

 ties, and expressed our belief that they would lead to the 

 introduction of a new race to our "aniens. The same thought 

 suggested itself to one of our most enterprising horticulturists. 

 Mr. Bull, of Chelsea, and he has been gradually infusing into 

 them more of the vigorous constitution of our English flowers, 

 and improving their form also. Already, in a former year, we 

 some of these, and have now the pleasure of adding 

 ,ther Plate of wry effective and distinct varieties. Distinc- 

 tion (Fig. L), soft pink, flaked, striped and spotted with deep 

 crimson and vivid rose. Leopard (Fig. 2), white ground, heavily 

 flaked and striped with purplish-red. the Hake being verj 

 bright ; and Beauty (Fig.3), opening white, but getting suffused 

 with deep blush as the flowers acquire age. distinctly striped 

 and flaked with bright crimson and rose, some heavilj flaked 

 with rose only, good short pip, Large truss, and good habit. 

 There will be, as in most of these fane) flowers, considerabli 



