Herbaceous and Bedding Plants 



frostless belt, and as soon as danger from frost is over in other 

 districts. Nasturtiums should not be sown in rich soil as in such 

 they grow too much to leaves and stems, flowering more profusely 

 if their growth is not too strong. 



Tropseolum tuberosum, Tropseolum speciosum and other 

 tuberous-rooted species do not seem to take kindly to California, 

 although no good reason has yet been given for their failure; 

 being natives of Chile and the cooler districts of Peru, they ought 

 to do splendidly. They are all handsome climbers and no doubt 

 they will yet give good results when the proper conditions are 

 found for them. 



VERBASCUM (Mullen). 



A genus comprising over one hundred species of hardy bien- 

 nial herbs or subshrubs. Some of them are exceedingly handsome, 

 the stately spikes of brightly-colored flowers being very orna- 

 mental, especially when grown among shrubs. They thrive in 

 any soil, all that is necessary being, in early Spring, to sow the 

 seeds, one-sixteenth of an inch deep, where wanted, and to thin 

 the young plants to one foot apart when they are two or three 

 inches high. 



VERBENA. 



A genus embracing eighty spe- 

 cies of hardy perennial herbs or 

 subshrubs, being among the best of 

 our bedding plants and blooming 

 continually for months at a time. 

 Their colors range through all 

 shades of purple and blue, through 

 reds and pinks to the purest white. 

 Their habit is low and spreading, 

 making excellent ground-work for 

 flowering-plants with tall stems. 



They are propagated by seeds 



[275] 



Verbena. 



