24 GARDENING FOR BEGINNERS 



everywhere, leaving one spot when the soil is exhausted to find fresh 

 pasture. Some are more aggressive than others, the variety raised by 

 the artist Mr. H. G. Moon, and named after him, not having this character- 

 istic so pronounced as many others. The common kind is //. multiflorus, 

 which has long remained a good border flower ; and its variety./?, plena, 

 which has quite double yellow flowers, is as well known. These are 

 not so tall or willowy as H. decapetalus, which will reach a height of 

 about six feet ; H. gigantem, H. laetiflorus, H. orgyalis, a very graceful 

 and beautiful flower, and H. rigidus (Miss Mellish). The last-named 

 is about six feet high, very strong, leafy, and with large flowers. A 

 group of this upon the lawn is very handsome in the autumn. We 

 have seen the perennial Sunflowers made excellent use of for planting 

 up ugly corners, and where more delicate perennials would fail. The 

 plants are easily increased by division of the roots in spring, when new 

 growth is beginning. 



Verbenas. Flower lovers rejoice in a revival of the Verbena, one 

 of those good plants almost annihilated by fungoid disease, the result of 

 weakened growth through over-propagation, or propagation in forcing 

 temperature to insure quick rooting of the cuttings. Of course the 

 Verbena is not a hardy plant, but it is much too good a thing to be 

 allowed to pass into disuse. Some of the old self-coloured varieties 

 are still to be had; and those with a scarcely defined eye, or very 

 small white eye, are much to be preferred to those of more recent 

 raising with large white centres. The large white eye spoils the plants 

 in the mass and the Verbena is essentially for massing a chopped-up 

 look that certainly detracts from its use as a garden plant. The danger 

 with the garden varieties is that of getting them too large and coarse. 

 What is wanted is strong constitution and short growth. Seed can be 

 obtained in mixed or in distinct colours that is, a packet of a certain 

 colour will produce it in the seedling. Always choose as mentioned good 

 selfs, pure clear shades, nothing "spotty" or crude. Seedlings are un- 

 questionably stronger than cuttings. Sow the seed in March thinly in 

 shallow pans, well drained and filled with sandy soil. It is well where 

 seeds are few to make shallow holes equally all over the surface of the 

 soil with the point of a finger and to put the seed into each, as the plants 

 later on get plenty of space. They become quite strong before it is need- 

 ful to dibble them off into other pans, or shallow boxes, or singly into 

 small pots before planting out in May. A temperature of about 60 

 degrees is necessary for raising the seed. Of course, in the case of named 

 varieties, it is necessary to raise them from cuttings, and a variety called 

 Miss Willniott, with large rose-pink flowers, must be treated in this way. 

 Then we have Snowflake, Purple King, and others, the pride of our 

 grandfathers' gardens. Cuttings of Verbenas should be put in a cold 

 frame in August, or even a bell-glass will suffice. Select young, strong, 

 healthy shoots without flower buds. One may use either a shallow pan 

 or a pot for the cuttings. Put them two inches apart, and keep them 

 near the glass in a temperature of 45 degrees, not more. Under these 

 conditions and very careful watering, there should be little damping off or 

 mildew. Cuttings in a temperature of 60 degrees strike easily in spring. 



