Flowers of all the different 



TROPvEOLUM, Nat. Ord. Troptzolacece. 



ROP./EOLUM. A very splendid class of half-hardy annuals, gen- 

 erally known as the Nasturtium. 

 ( shades of yellow, orange and 

 red. This flower has of late 

 been much improved, the 

 blossoms being larger and 

 more brilliant than the old- 

 fashioned sorts. The varieties 

 of T. majus and T. Lobbianum 

 (hybridum,} will be found de- 

 scribed among the Climbers ; 

 but when allowed to run on 

 the ground, and pegged down, 



they make a brilliant bed. T. minus and its varieties are 



dwarf, round-headed plants, about a foot high, and in Europe 



are very popular, and make very fine beds. Indeed, on the Dwarf Tropseolums, among the 



annuals, the gardeners of England almost entirely depend for a mass of brilliant colors, while the 



Clarkia furnishes masses of the more delicate shades. 



VERBENA, Nat. Ord. Verbenacetz. 



ERBENA. Every one knows the Verbena, and almost every one has 

 bought the little, sickly plants, in small pots, with one little tuft of 

 flowers, but every one 

 does not know that 

 good, healthy plants 

 can be produced from 

 seed as readily as al- 

 most any tender an- 

 nual, plants that will 

 perfectly cover a space 



three feet in diameter, flower well in July, and 

 continue strong and healthy until destroyed by 

 frost. Another strange fact not generally known, 

 is that nearly all Verbenas raised from seed are 

 fragrant, the light colored varieties particularly so. 

 Sow the seeds under glass early in the spring, 

 and transplant after three or four inches of growth. 

 There is a variety, a native of the Rocky Mountains, with pink flowers, so hardy that it will gen- 

 erally endure our winters and flower the second season. 



VINCA, Nat. Ord. Apocynacece. 



A genus of beautiful green-house perennials, that may be treated as tender annuals for the 

 garden. If sown under glass, and strong plants are set out early, in a warm situation, they will 

 _ flower beautifully in the summer and autumn, and may be 



<\ ^&$- ^ potted for the house before frost. Not suitable for out- 



door sowing, in northern latitudes. In the Southern 

 States the Vinca does admirably, growing almost like 

 a weed. There are several varieties, rose-colored, white, 

 and white with red eye. The engraving shows the 

 flower about one-half the natural size. The leaf is a 

 beautiful dark green, thick, smooth and shining, some- 

 what like the Laurel or Camellia. A well grown plant 

 will be about eighteen inches in height. We write this in 

 the garden, with a bed of Vincas before us, and it is difficult to moderate our praise. 



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