PLANTS F03 WINDOW GARDENING. 53 



The proper soil for verbenas, is two parts of loam, two of 

 leaf mould, with an admixture of sand, and in this we havo 

 found them grow and bloom luxuriantly. , 



Many verbenas, which for green-house blooming are 

 unsurpassed, are worthless for bedding purposes ; the petal 

 of the flower b&ng too thin, or the color fading or changing. 

 Again, some bloom well in winter, others far better in sum- 

 mer ; some form large masses and flower well, others are of 

 rambling growth and poor bloomers ; some of creeping, 

 others of more upright habit ; while a few possess every 

 desirable quality ; and in making a selection, all these prop- 

 erties are to be considered. 



We have said that seedlings were produced with great 

 ease. The verbena seeds well where the plants have not 

 been too long propagated by cuttings. A long-continued 

 propagation by cuttings seems to diminish the power of the 

 plants to produce seed, and, as a general rule, the further 

 removed a plant is from a seedling, the less the chance of 

 its perfecting good seed. The seeds may be sown in a hot- 

 bed or green-house, early in spring, and the plants, when 

 about an inch and a half high, pricked out in the border ; 

 it is a good plan to pinch out the leading shoot, as thus the 

 plants branch and become stronger; the plants grow 

 rapidly, and soon show bloom. 



