134 VERBENAS, 
IMPREGNATION OF TULIPS. 
Mr. Stater, of Manchester, writes in the Florist that he prefers 
obtaining seed from breeder Tulips, rather than broken flowers, the 
former being more vigorous, and producing much finer seed ; and he has 
proved that it isan idle tale to say that plants raised from seed saved from 
breeders never break into colour. One year he had five bloomed-broken 
the first time, and the last season several more. During twelve years 
he never seeded but one broken flower, viz., Lillard Violet, and he now 
has thirty varieties broken in his best bed, to bloom this season, and 
thousands of seedlings yet to bloom. 
After a flower is impregnated with the pollen from another, he 
covers it with Nottingham net-lace; this protects from bees or flies 
conveying an admixture of pollen. To prevent the seed-vessel being 
injured by an excess of rain, he has a piece of glass fixed horizontally 
in a stick or piece of wood, so high as to be an inch above the seed- 
vessel; this protects from rain, whilst it admits the necessary light and 
air. 
Persons desirous of raising seedlings should sow, every year, in 
February, and in four years expect the bloom. 
[We have many valuable articles of Mr. Slater’s on the Tulip in 
previous volumes of our FLroricunrurAL Castner, which all Tulip- 
growers would do well to read, treating, as he does, the Tulip in every 
stage. Equally useful and interesting are the communications on the 
same subjects, which were received, and inserted, from Mr. William 
Harrison, of Felton.] 
VERBENAS. 
CuttureE tn Beps.—Several of our correspondents have complained 
that their Verbenas grow too much like a carpet of grass, having but 
few flowers. There aré some of the kinds which have a strong ten- 
dency to rooting at every joint which comes in contact with the earth. 
To prevent this, chop into short pieces some stiff branching heads of 
Thorn, or Sloe bush, and after having put out the plants in the bed, 
spread the surface over with the prepared pieces, the shoots of the 
Verbenas will run along their surface, and amongst the pieces, they 
will not come in contact with the soil, their extra vigour will be 
checked, and the plants will bloom profusely. The twigs will soon be 
hidden by the plants. 
Rarsinc SEEDLINGS.—The ‘seed should be sown in shallow pots, 
plunged in a gentle hot-bed early in March. When the seedlings are 
three inches high, transplant them three or four together, into pots 
four inches wide. Nip off the tops to make them bushy. When 
the planting season arrives, the seedlings may be planted out also in 
a bed, in some retired part of the garden. Select the best as they 
flower, and take cuttings of such as appear good. Number and de- 
scribe them ina small book, so that you may know how to arrange 
them the following year, : 
