50 VERBENA JUNIUS. 
varieties about to be sent out the coming spring, are given in our last 
month’s advertising sheet. We frequently visited the bed of seedlings 
at St. Margaret’s last summer, and can bear testimony to the superior 
merits of the flowers. 
We solicited Mr. Barker to give us particulars of his method of 
culture, and we have been favoured with the following remarks:— 
Tue VEeRBENA.—It is now some twenty years since, when visiting the 
neat, but small, nursery of our esteemed friend, Mr. Robert Shipp, of 
Palgrave, in Suffolk, my brother and myself first saw that sweet floral 
gem the old Verbena Melendris ; there were eight or ten plants, each pro- 
ducing a single truss of bloom ; with which we were so much delighted, 
that, after sundry consultations, we ventured to inquire, ‘‘ What is the ~ 
price of aplant of the Verbena?” The reply was, ‘ One shilling.” 
Happy, fortunate boys! we really, unitedly, possessed the sum required 
to purchase a single plant, andalthough bankrupts in cash, we esteemed 
ourselves rich indeed in floral wealth. Our prize was borne in triumph to 
our little patch of garden, planted and tended ; where it amply repaid all 
our attentions with its liberal crop of bright and beautiful flowers. 
Years passed on, and our little stock increased annually ; at length 
Tweediana was introduced, purchased, and added to our stock. Again, 
a short time, and Teucroides made its appearance; that was also pur- 
chased, and from that we saved our first seeds. The Verbena is asso- 
ciated with the recollections of our early childhood; it has been our 
innocent, cheerful companion through youth; it is now our especial 
floral favourite. Not to the exclusion of the many other classes of 
florists’ flowers; far from it, we are great admirers of all, and, for 
general purposes ,we do not think the Verbena has not an equal. How 
many and varied are the situations for which it is adapted! In the 
humble cottage gaaden, on the decaying stumps of trees, on the rough 
and rugged rock, in rustic tubs and baskets, in the richly decorated 
vase, in the greenhouse or conservatory, in the well kept garden of an 
amateur, or on the grand parterre of the noble and the great, it is 
equally at home. 
How rich and varied are its colours, ranging from a most dazzling 
scarlet to the most pure white! How delightfully sweet is the perfume 
diffused by many varieties! Its habit is also various; some growing 
erect, and others being perfect creepers ; suited, too, for training over 
ornamental wire-work frames or baskets, or for hanging pendant, 
around the sides. And if we add to its many other good qualities the 
very long period it continues in bloom, we think we shall have said 
sufficient to prove our former assertion,— “‘ that it is entitled to universal 
favour.” 
No plant is of more easy cultivation than the Verbena; the beds 
should be prepared directly after the old plants are destroyed by frost, 
giving them a good dressing with well-rotted manure; the remains of 
an old cucumber bed is preferred by us for the purpose. Turn up 
the soil to the depth of from twelve to eighteen inches, leaving 
the surface rough, to be well pulverized by the frost. In the early 
part of April, level down the beds, stirring the soil about three inches 
deep; the beds will then be ready to receive the plants. The distance 
