210 Commercial Gardening 



into bloom. The pots are often plunged in hotbeds up to the rim, and in 

 this way there is a regular supply of moisture at the roots. In the spring 

 months less artificial heat is required, as the sun gains in power, and during 

 the summer months the plants can be grown in a cool house or even in the 

 open air. The blooms are picked off the stems and tied up in dozens in 

 little pieces of thin paper, and thus sold in market. The florists wire the 

 blooms and use them in all kinds of ways for bouquets, wreaths, and other 

 emblems. After strong forcing the bulbs are thrown away, and a fresh 

 supply is imported from France or Holland in the autumn. 



Vallota purpurea (SCARBOROUGH LILY). A fine South African green- 

 house bulbous plant with evergreen strap-shaped leaves, and bright scarlet 

 tubular flowers in summer topping a fleshy stem 2 to 3 ft. high. It likes 

 sandy loam and leaf soil, and may be increased by seeds and offsets. 



Verbena. The garden Verbena has been evolved from several species, 

 and is largely used for the decoration of flower beds and borders during 

 the summer months. There are many varieties and strains, including 

 Henderson's mammoth, the Italian striped, the Auricula-eyed, &c. They 

 are raised from seeds sown in heat, and grown on rapidly and afterwards 

 hardened off. Special varieties, however, are raised from cuttings, and 

 amongst these may be mentioned Miss Willmott, one of the best rose-red 

 forms; Ball of Fire; Lord Brooke; Crimson King; Purple King; Princess 

 of Wales, deep blue; Queen of Whites, &c. all excellent for bedding out. 



V. venosa, a fine Brazilian plant, 1-2 ft. high, with bluish-violet or 

 lilac flowers, is a good bedding plant, and is best raised from cuttings. 

 The old stock plants of all Verbenas are kept near the glass and in gentle 

 warmth in winter. 



Wig'andia caracasana (macrophylla). A fine foliage plant about 10 ft. 

 high from the mountains of New Granada, with large elliptic heart-shaped 

 leaves covered with softish hairs and of a ruddy brown tint. It is chiefly 

 useful for subtropical gardening in summer, and may be grown in any 

 ordinary good garden soil. Seeds are sown in heat in February or March, 

 and soon germinate. The young plants are pricked out into boxes or small 

 pots, and are sold in May and June with other bedding stuff after being 

 hardened off. 



