PLANTS FOR WINDOW GARDENING. 101 



But to raise a seedling is one thing, to raise a fine seed- 

 ling, a far different. Of many hundred raised in the course 

 of the last few years, by the writer, not more than half a 

 dozen have been worthy of preservation, and only one (and 

 that produced by chance) really a first-class flower. 



In raising seed, much may be done to insure its quality 

 by planting fine varieties together, and allowing them to 

 intertwine, then gathering the seed from these plants. No 

 rule can be laid down to obtain any desired color, for the 

 seedlings sport infinitely. We can only approximate 

 towards definite results ; thus, if we plant Annie (white) 

 and Robinson's Defiance (red) together, the seedling will be 

 likely to be pink. 



The flowers of the verbena are of every color and shade, 

 except light blue, which color has never been obtained. A 

 good yellow verbena has not yet been produced. There is 

 a miserable variety, with a small truss of dirty yellow 

 flowers. The writer, some years since, by a curious process 

 of watering and fertilization with a white verbena, obtained 

 a seedling, which proved, on blooming, to be of a light straw 

 color ; the plant was weak and sickly, and died before cut- 

 tings could be taken. Since that time he has tried the 

 experiment often, but never with any successful result. 

 9* 



