262 Descriptive account of Veronica Speciosa: 



to be, that the wet chilly spring months of Scotland, are more 

 unfavorable for "restoring the weakened or impaired vital 

 action of large" (or small) " transplanted trees" than the 

 drier but warmer season in this country. And the success of 

 the extensive removals before alluded to, has done much to 

 confirm me in the opinion. 



If you deem this worthy of a place in your valuable mag- 

 azine you will oblige me by its insertion. Excuse all imper- 

 fections, as I am not much given to studying the niceties of 

 composition, and my hand is more practised to the use of 

 bulkier instruments than a pen. 



Pittsburg, Pa., May 26th, 1846. 



Art. III. Descriptive account of Veronica Speciosa : its cul- 

 tivation and treatment. By the Editor. 



Among the great number of plants which are annually 

 introduced and figured in the periodicals of the day, few 

 possess that striking beauty which soon render them universal 

 favorites, and found in every collection of plants. Of this 

 character, of recent addition, we may name the Japan lilies, 

 the different species of Achimenes, Thunbergia. chrysops, &c. 

 Veronica speciosa is not less brilliant than either of those. 

 The handsome tribe of hardy herbaceous veronicas is well 

 known, and the different kinds have long been favorites of 

 every garden. V. speciosa is quite different in appearance, 

 and until it flowers no one would suppose it could belong to 

 this family, so unlike is it in habit and fohage. 



The annexed engraving {Fig. 13) will convey some idea 

 of this new species, when in bloom ; but as only one single 

 spike of its brilliant blossoms could be well figured, it must 

 be left to the imagination to picture a large plant, with broad, 

 deep green, fleshy, shining leaves, clothed, at every axil, with 

 a spike of its rich deep purple blossoms changing to white, 

 and thus having the appearance of two colored flowers on the 

 same plant. It forms an evergreen shrub, growing to the 

 height of eighteen inches or two feet, with obovate, sessile 



