VERBENA SOUVENIR OF JANE C. HANSON. 



potatoes, but the seven foregoing are perhaps the most important. The render 

 will by this time justly conclude, that the origination of one, much more of 

 many, varieties of valuable new ])otatoes, is no easy thing. My i)rcsent im[)rcs- 

 sion is, that it could be done with much more facility in Peru, Chili, or Oregon, 

 than here, the great uniformity of the climate there being favorable. For this 

 very reason, however, such sorts would ])rcil)ably not Ije the best adapted to our 

 unstable climate. From the beginning of 1S41» to the close of 1804, 1 originated 

 about r),400 varieties. Of these, a hw hundred were lost by frost in the winter. 

 But of the multitude that remain, I have now but thirty-three sorts left, many of 

 wliich I shall doubtless reject in a year or two. The 3,000 new sorts originated 

 in 1855 and 185G, promise better; but even among them, the proportion of truly 

 valuable ones will in the end doubtless be small. 



The wise ])0ulterer will not count his chickens in the c^i;^, nor when first nestling 

 under the wing of their mother. He watches their passage through cold altcrim- 

 tions, and dry and wet intensities of weather. So the cultivator of seedling 

 potatoes feels little assurance at the end of the first, second, or even the third year 

 of his culture. He waits the results of the fourth or fifth year before he feels 

 assured of the permanence of good qualities which may have been exhibited the 

 first year. 



iSIany fine seedlings which promised exceedingly fair when I gave them out in 

 their second and third years, have subsequently painfully disappointed both me 

 and the receivers, in some one or more of the seven preceding qualities. This 

 accounts for the fact that so very few new varieties of potatoes secure an enduring 

 reputation compared with the many that have been originated within a few years 

 ]iast. My friend, Dr. H. W., informed me, that out of a large family of seedlings 

 originated by himself a few years ago, but one highly valuable sort had been 

 obtained. r 



VERBENA SOUVENIR OF JANE C. HANSON. 



Tins beautiful variety was obtained by Mr. T. E. Croft, of Philadelphia, and 

 is, for form, size, and color, one of the best whites now grown. Mr. Croft has 

 been quite successful in raising varieties of this bedding plant. 



The Verbena now offers almost every variety of color, and hues for every taste. 

 Taking into consideration the lengthened period of its bloom, it is unrivalled by 

 any other plant ; its increasing cultivation is the best evidence of its great popu- 

 larity. To grow it with entire success, it should have a free exposure to the sun. 



