168 THE FLOWER GARDEN COMPANION. 



the garden, by rooting at almost every joint, in moist weather, 

 in September and October, in the same manner as the garden 

 Strawberry. There are, however, some of the upright-grow- 

 ing kinds, which do not increase so readily this way, but they 

 all root freely, when the young shoots are layered into pots, 

 or in the ground, when they are growing. The Verbena 

 may also be propagated by cuttings, almost at any time, in 

 the same manner as the Geranium, in pots filled with a com- 

 post of one-third sand, and the remainder loam and well rotted 

 manure, or leaf mould. It is also increased, to obtain new 

 varieties, by seed, which is ripe in October, and should be 

 collected and saved until the spring, and sown in pots filled 

 with the same compost as directed for cuttings. 



The Verbena may be considered, strictly speaking, a green- 

 house plant, although it is in the flower garden where its 

 chief beauty is so desirable, particularly in the summer and 

 fall of a dry season, when other flowers are almost perished, 

 then this plant is almost the only gem of flora. In the 

 flower-garden, it has a pleasing appearance in almost any 

 location, and it is admirably adapted to be planted on the 

 rockery, if there is one, or on any dry bank or rising ground, 

 as it thrives well in any dry location, and is also often planted 

 in masses in the flower borders, or in neat cut figures on 

 grass plats, where the mingling of the different varieties forms 

 a pleasing contrast with the green sod. When ornamental 

 vases are introduced in grass plats, they may be filled with 

 compost, and the Verbena planted there ; and if properly 

 managed, the vines will hang down in brilliant tresses of 

 flowers of the most ornamental character. In many cases, 

 they are also trained to small trellises, in the green-house or 

 flower garden, of an ornamental character, in the form of a 

 fan, a balloon, pyramid, or almost any form the taste may be 

 inclined to select. 



For the green-house, the plants should be selected in Octo- 

 ber, and planted into small pots, and taken into the house so 

 soon as the first frosts appear. They should be placed on 



