30 NOTES ON FLORISTS’ FLOWERS. 
so compact in their growth that, as the plant spreads over the ground, 
it forms a close and even surface of green. ‘The object in view, how- 
ever, with those who grow for show, is not so much the colour and 
habit as the form ; indeed, as they are now exhibited in stands of cut 
blooms, habit has there no part in the question. There can be no 
doubt the correct and best way to exhibit the Verbena asa florist’s 
flower is in stands of cut blooms, but kinds more adapted for garden 
ornament should be shown in pots, and trained over a wire trellis so as 
fully to develope their manner of growth. When exhibited in stands, 
they should be in a single truss of each sort, neatly supported with two 
or three of their leaves, in the manner repre- 
sented by the accompanying figure. We have 
been surprised to observe the display of taste 
made by some exhibitors in the production of 
stands containing confused bunches of each 
kind as large as an ordinary cauliflower, and 
this at some of the great exhibitions of 
London ! 
Hitherto, the greatest fault in the Verbena 
as a show-flower is the unevenness and unequal 3 
expansion of the trusses, and the narrow segments and deep notches in 
the flower. It will be seen, therefore, the improvements necessary to 
correct this, and bring the flower up to the florist’s standard, are, wider 
segments, of nearly equal size, and rounded at the ends as much as 
possible; so that, by laying close together, they form a circle. The 
truss should have all the flowers arranged close and regular, but not 
crowded or overlapping each other; the whole forming a half-globe, 
the rounder and more even the better. Looking at the improvement 
which the last few years has brought forth, we may auticipate soon to 
have varieties closely approaching the circle, and entirely free from the 
notch. 
The following are a few of the class with widened lobes, and the 
best we have yet seen for exhibition :—Lady Cathcart (Barker), blush ; 
St. Margaret (Barker), rich crimson with a violet shade in the centre ; 
Minerva (Chauviere), pale rose; Junius (Barker), deep rose with 
dark crimson centre; Venus de Canova (Chauviere), pale lilae with 
purple centre; La Reine (Dufoy), light pink with carmine centre ; 
Heloise (Dufoy), heavy purple with dark eye; Orpha (Chauviere), 
lavender with dark eye: and two or three others. 
Of new flowers coming out in spring we have seen but few we 
thought worth noting; these we transcribe below. Doubtless there 
are others deserving mention; we have heard of many, one said to be 
a clear yellow, but we have not seen them, and therefore must leave 
our friends to place what confidence they please on the representations 
of others. 
Junius (Barker).—Rose with a ray of deep crimson around the eye ; 
of good substance, and a very even trusser. In form after the way of 
St. Margaret, to which it will be not an unworthy companion. 
Princess Arce (Wyness).—Blush-white with a distinct ray of 
bright rose around a white eye, giving the flower a very pretty 
