THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 253 



without one drop of liquor getting to the roots, and what the pail 

 contains may be used again and again. It might also be useful in 

 tvino- out specimen plants, where considerable lateral growth may 

 require regulating underneath, the pot being laid on its side, resting 

 against what we may call the lips of the top frame, with the head ot 

 the plant entirely free. The cost of the one sketched was only 

 seven shillings, and was made by a carpenter, but we think the 

 sketch and description here given will enable any amateur with at 

 all a practical turn to manufacture his own. 



THE VERBENA. 



[HE Yerbena has been steadily declining in popularity 

 " during many years past, in consequence of the dis- 

 figurement of gardens by its frequent failures, and in few 

 instances does it prove equal to the demands and expec- 

 tations of the cultivator. Tet there is no bedding plant 

 that more perfectly answers the requirements of the garden colounst 

 Its SinS habit forming a close carpet of vegetation, its well 

 sustained umbels of brilliantly-coloured flowers glittering above the 

 suitable ground-work of dark green leaves and the continuousness of 

 its intenfity of colour, are qualities that should insure its p ace in 

 any selec Lt of firslclass bedding plants. In exceptionally hot 

 seasons, verbenas unhappily situated shrink away to dust ere the 

 season s half gone, but as a rule failures with the verbena res at from 

 S cultivation, and especially from the careless system of planting 

 bedders in badly prepared soil, without any special preparation for 

 them The verbena will only thrive in a satisfactory manner in a 

 good deep holding loam, but a light soil may be made to suit the 

 K provided a liberal dressing of manure is dug in during the 

 winter and a fair average season follows, with alternations of showers 

 Tnd sunshine; but with the best preparation success cannot be de- 

 fended on, in a peculiarly hot and dry season, on light sandy soils It 

 ?s therefore advisable to adopt a very liberal system of cultivation, 

 and as we do not often experience a tropical summer success under 

 suchalystemmay fairly be expected, although the plants may have 

 a lighter soil than they would prefer. In the case of a hot soil, a 

 mnfch-that is, a surfacing of half-rotten manure, put on at the time 

 of planting-will do wonders, and as to its appearance the plants will 

 so soon spread over it and hide it, that it is practically of no con- 

 sequence In a droughty summer a few heavy soakings with soft 

 water will also act beneficially; but it is best to avoid watering if 

 there iTa prospect of rain before the plants begin to suffer and m 

 any case, frequent surface dribblings do more harm than good It is 

 not a matter of great importance to plant verbenas in the full sun 

 but a heavily shaded position will not suit them. A free current of 

 air and a few hours of sunshine per diem they must have, but they 



August. 



