56 



JOORNAIi OP HORTICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GABDENER. 



[ July 23. 1868. 



is fltill better adapted for many of the requirements of the 

 present day, as nothing makes a more compact carpet than 

 this, and its colour is distinct from that of anything else, al- 

 though I do not assert it to be a good blue. For manyyears we 

 htve grown this Verbena here more extensively than any other, 

 aiid I see no reason to discontinue its use ; on the contrary, its 

 utility is as apparent this dry summer as before in wet ones, ' 

 and I expect when the failures of what are called the better 

 sorts shall be fully known, this old, much-despised species will 

 again rise into favour. 



In urging the claims of these two Verbenas on the attention 

 of the great bedding-out world, I by no means assert that they 

 are fitted for all requirements, as they do not so conveniently 

 adapt themselves to a narrow thin line as a I'elargouium, Cal- 

 ceolaria, or the Perilla ; but when a great breadth is wanted no- 

 thing can be more suitable. V. pulctiella I very often work into 

 a band of 2 feet wide or more, ami it seems to answer admirably. 

 Pulohella almost deserves still more space, or to make a bed of 

 iteelf or a mixed bed ; in the latter case, if it should be deemed 

 advisable to plant it along with a Pelargonium, choose the most 

 robust-growing one, and let the Pelargonium plant be good, so 

 as to have a start of the Verbena, otherwise it is liable to out- 

 gro* the Pelargoninm, as it is a fast and strong grower, espe- 

 cially if the plants be obtained by the means I usfially adopt — 

 that is, from teed ; those propagated by cuttings are lees 

 robust. 



Although hardy, or nearly bo. Verbena yenoea is liable to be 

 lost when left in cold, wet, clayey =oils ; so that it is better to 

 raise a few plants every year, and for that purpose sowing seed 

 is the most easy way, and when it is sown early in spring, say 

 in the beginning or middle of February, the plants have time 

 to become la ge enough to plant-out by the usuar bedding-out 

 time. Some 1 raised in this way in the present season were 

 not more than two or three days at most in following the old 

 plants that had stood two or three years in the same situa- 

 tibn. Seedling plants are also more vigorous than those from 

 cbttings, and 1 think flower quite as well. Verbena pulchella 

 a»nst be propagated from cuttings, which it foruiebes most 

 abundantly, and each cutting becomes a plant with very little 

 trouble ; besides which the plant often stands the winter, and 

 Bopplies cuttings in any quantity in spring, but it is seldom 

 that a whole bed escapes the severity of the season : therefore 

 it is generally better to plant over again than trust to plants 

 that have stood the winter, for 1 have seen them go off in 

 April, after having supplied abundance of cuttings a month 

 of two hefoi e. 



Like all the family, the species Verbena puldhelta has sported 

 a little from seed, and soon after its introduction improved 

 varieties of it were offered, but the distinction between them 

 and the parent did not seem sufficient to entitle them to be 

 regarded as improvements, and owing to the partial decline of 

 the kind in favour, in consequence of its not easily bending to 

 tke form prescribed by the florist, but little has been done with 

 it, A striped variety, however, is deservedly esteemed, and a 

 white one was at one time in vogue, but it was only a poor 

 white, and quickly fell into disrepute. The so-called yellow 

 Verbena was also of this section, but not being what it was 

 called, it was discarded quickly. Improvements, no doubt, may 

 be made, and possibly hybrids may he obtained ; but Mr. 

 Will^, who furnished hybrids between V. veuosa and the other 

 Tdrieties in general use in the flower garden, was not so suc- 

 cessful as in some other things which he accomplished. His 

 Velvet Civshion breed seemed not to prosper well in many 

 Bitnations, and in some presented a very sorry appearance, so 

 that I believe the class is almost discarded. Perliaps, however, 

 a better constitution might be thrown intosudi a cross, arid a 

 useful class of bedding plants secured. 



Since the advent of V. melindres the plant has nndergone 

 many changes, and the modes of preparing it for the flower 

 garden have altered considerably ; et one time autumn-struck 

 cuttings were those only thought worth planting-out, afterwards 

 they were considered not so good as spring cuttings. The 

 preservation of the plant in winter has also nndergone con- 

 siderable change. I once knew a gentleman so enamotired 

 with some beds of Verbenas on his lawu that he had glass 

 frames made in the autumn to fit them, in order to protect the 

 plants during the winter, bat it is rare that a bed that has 

 dene duty well one season does the same again ; either the 

 plants exhanst the soil, and they cease blooming, or, what 

 amonnts to the same thing, mildew sets in. A dusting of soot 

 and snlpljnr, and a liberal application of liquid manure, may 

 partially arrest this plague, but the fresh vigour of a plant 



approaching maturity cannot easily be given te one past that 

 point. 



On this subject, however, enough hag been written by others, 

 and as I am advocating the claims of independent species of 

 Verbena rather than writing on the culture of varieties, I need 

 only conclude with again urging on those who have not grown 

 the two species named to give these a fair trial, and I have no 

 doubt but they will do so again. Since the ideal forms which 

 the florist insists on so often result in a partial, if not total, 

 failure in obtaining blooms as well, a more certain way seems 

 desirable. The botanist sees as much beauty in the normal 

 condition of a flower as when it has nndergone transformation 

 at the hands of the cultivator, and his views deserve attention 

 as well as those of the critic of mere colour and form, more 

 especially as the former generally insures a healthier subject 

 and a more prolonged period of flowering. In the hope of 

 these results being realised, I trust another season will witness 

 my two favourite Verbenas, pulchella and venosa, more exten- 

 sively cultivated than they have hitherto been, and if other 

 species occur presenting us with the same hardy constitution as 

 the above, in addition to a different colour, I, for one, would re- 

 gard such an introduction as a great boon. A Verbena pulchella 

 with a scarlet flower would be perfection itself. — J. Eobson. 



M. SOUCHET'S GLADIOLUSES. 

 Since I last wrote on this flower, I have had the oppoif- 

 tunity of seeing the famous collection of M. Souchet, at Fort' 

 tainebleau, though, of course, not in bloom. I shall have Bonw- 

 thing to say of them by-and-by, but wish to take the earliest 

 opportunity of making known his request, that any real lover 

 of the flower who may happen to be in Paris from the 10th of 

 August to the end of the month, would favour him with a visit. 

 This is no commercial matter with him, as be does not sell 

 any of his bulbs, except to four Parisian Louses, and they take 

 I all he has to dispose of, so that he would be none the better if 

 j all the Gladiolus-growers in the kingdom visited him. The 

 I invitation is given from the love he bears to the flower, and 

 . from the thorough amiability of his kindly nature. He wished 

 I me to give this invitation as freely as possible, and lean assure 

 ' any one who may accept it, that they will receive from both 

 Monsieur and Madame Souchet the most openbanded hospi- 

 tality. One only regrets that owing to bodily infirmity, it lieg 

 not within our power to return it, as he is unable and unwilling 

 to leave his home even for one day. — D., Deal. 



NOTES ON STRAWBERRIES. 



Another Strawberry season is over with us, and I may also 

 say a peculiar one. Owing to the long-continued dry scorching 

 weather a just estimate could not be arrived at of new or in4' 

 proved varieties. Where copious waterings have not been 

 resorted to, the fruit has been very small and the flavour in- 

 different ; but where the plants were well supplied with water, 

 and the beds mulched with short frame dung or litter im- 

 mediately afterwards, the fruit swelled to a very large size, even 

 where the crop was abundant and no thinning of the fruit 

 was resorted to ; and what is noteworthy in exceptionally dry 

 seasons like the present, all the varieties ripen nearly at the 

 same time. 



In August last year I planted out yoking runiiers of the 

 following varieties in order more fully to prove them, and also 

 to note the date of ripening — viz.. Sir J. Fasten, President, 

 Eclipse, Premier, Sir Harry, Sir C. Nspier, Due de Malakoflf, 

 Britieh Queen, La Constante, and Dr. Hogg. Out of that lot 

 President, Sir J. Paxton, and Eclipse were the first to changd 

 colour ; Sir J. Paxton and La Corstante continued longest im' 

 bearing. I selected these ten varieties from my own obser- 

 vations made under various circumstances laht year. I have- 

 grown Fclipse two seasons, and Due de Malaktft four, but I 

 will omit both next season. Eclipse is an abundant cropper, 

 but is wanting in flavour and appearance. Due de Malakoff has 

 a fruit of the largest size, but it is soft and stems to spoil atf 

 soon as it is ripe. 



To the eight varieties which I have retained I will add for 

 next season Lucas, Mr. Eadcljffe, Admiri.l Dnndas, and Frog- 

 more Late Pine. The last named seems to be a very fine Straw- 

 berry ; it is of the largest size, and a most excellent dish of it 

 was exhibited at the Koyal Botanic Society's July Show. At 

 that date (Julv 1st), all the best Strawberries were picked here. 

 I picked the "best dish of Dr. Bogg on the l?tk of June, and 



