Descriptions of Ten New Verbenas. 275 



Art. VII. Descriptions of Ten New Verbenas. By the 



Editor. 



After the lapse of several years, since the first introduction 

 of the old Ferbena Tweedieana, the new seedlings have 

 just begun to break into very distinct and novel shades. Our 

 American seedlings have, hitherto, fully equalled, if not sur- 

 passed, any that we have received from England, and by a 

 careful hybridization of the plants, we have no doubt, with 

 a climate so admirably suited to the verbena, and to the 

 ripening of its seeds, we may continue to keep in advance 

 in the production of seedlings. But the French cultivators, 

 with their usual ardor, have entered the field, and have al- 

 ready achieved such good results, that we notice the principal 

 new ones of the year, advertised by English cultivators, are 

 seedlings of the Parisian florists ; thus taking the place of 

 their own. That they are thus entitled to such distinction 

 we can readily imagine, after noticing the flowers of three of 

 them, viz., St. Margaret, Reine de Jour and Iphigene, each 

 of which are entirely new in color and other floral proper- 

 ties, as will be seen by our descriptions. We notice that 

 some cultivators have adopted the term, '•' Fancy" varieties 

 to those that are edged, mottled, or shaded, a distinction 

 we think worthy of being generally followed. 



We alluded last year, (p. 262,) to the production of striped 

 varieties, and we are glad to arniounce such an acquisition in 

 a new seedling raised by Mr. Briell, of Long Island. These 

 departures from the plain colors are but the commencement 

 of varieties, which will present a combination of tints as 

 fanciful as those of the carnation or the dahlia. Our advice is 

 to keep up the hybridization of the flowers, and the constant 

 sowing of seeds. 



The following embrace some fine varieties of last year, — 

 not before described, — in addition to the new ones of this 

 season : 



'« 1. St. Margaret. — Flowers large, deep rosy scarlet, with 

 a violet centre of the peculiar tint of the inner petals of Ce- 



