FOUR COMMON FLOWERS 165 



those of the parent. The selection was con- 

 tinued, according to my usual method, through 

 successive generations, until at last a plant was 

 found that was as fragrant as could possibly be 

 wished. The plant in question was an exceed- 

 ingly large verbena — in fact one of the largest 

 ever grown. The flowers it bore were of a rich 

 rosy pink in color, the exact counterpart of the 

 color of the familiar trailing arbutus or may- 

 flower of New England. 



Curiously enough the fragrance of the new 

 verbena was also precisely that of the arbutus in 

 quality, although it was much more intense, as 

 was readily admitted by all who tested the two 

 flowers side by side. 



It was for this reason that the new verbena 

 was given the name of Mayflower. 



Several perfumers who saw this verbena were 

 agreed that it would be of unusual value for the 

 production of a perfume. It was admitted by 

 all that no verbena with a comparable odor had 

 ever before been seen. 



The subsequent history of the Mayflower has 

 already been told. It was purchased by a dealer, 

 and although plants grown from cuttings made 

 from it may possibly be in existence, I do not 

 know where they are and do not know how to 

 trace them. 



