CHAPTER XXI. 



THE VERBENA, PETUNIA, PYRETHRUM. 



Bedding plants like these are not to be recommended generally for window 

 culture, still window gardeners will have them, and we can only give directions 

 for their culture. 



Very great improvements have been made in the last few years in the Ver- 

 bena, both in the size of the individual flowers and the form of its clusters; also 

 in the great variety of its brilliant colors of crimson, scarlet, lilac, bluish pur- 

 ple, and all their intermediate shades, with eyes of white, deep crimson, 

 rose, purple, and yellow, and still others are striped and ^potted. 



They are great lovers of the sun, will not thrive without it, yet will not grow 

 in the hot, dry atmosphere of many sitting rooms, but require a cool room dur- 

 ing the winter months, and a goodly share of fresh air when the frost is not 

 in it. 



When grown as a house plant they must be placed close to the glass, and the 

 mercury should not be over 50 during the day and less than 45 at night, until 

 March. They do not like moisture in the winter, but should be kept a little 

 dry ; when you do water, give a good supply, and pour away all that falls into 

 the saucer. 



Shower the foliage weekly, to keep it clear of the green fly which injures it 

 irroatly. The Verbena Mite, which produces the "black rust" upon these 

 plants, is also very destructive to them, but plentiful showerings and washings 

 v\ ill keep it way. 



These plants are particular as to soil, blooming plentifully in sandy or clayey 

 loam, if it is enriched with well decayed manure, or liquid stimulants. 



The young shoots root very rapidly, and they are to be selected to make plants 

 for window gardens. The reason why many fail to keep them through the win- 

 ter is, that they attempt to keep the old plants, or layers from them, instead of 

 striking cuttings in September or October from entire new growth. 



The sulphate of ammonia is an excellent fertilizer for Verbenas, giving the 

 foliage a dark green, healthy appearance, and it is easily prepared and applied. 



Dissolve one ounce of the ammonia in four gallons of warm water; it can be 

 .'.- ven once a week. Keep the soil well stirred up in the pots; this is very essen- 

 tial to the healthy growth of all pot plants, for their roots must have air to 

 Hourish. well. 



The cuttings should be pinched back to keep the plants stocky and robust. 



In raising them from seeds, the soil should be very sandy, and kept uniformly 



