THE VERBENAS. 



"Hallowed be thou, Vervain, 



As thou growest on the ground, 

 For in the Mount of Calvary 

 There thou wast first found." 



The name Verbena in the language 

 of flowers signifies enchantment. It is 

 an ancient Latin name for a common 

 European Vervain. As a classic name, 

 however, the name Verbena was ap- 

 plied to any branch that was used in the 

 celebration of religious rites. Though 

 the Vervain of our illustration belongs 

 to this genus it is not the same plant 

 that was held in high esteem and as a 

 sacred herb by the Greeks and Romans, 

 yet it is generally believed that the 

 "herba sacra" of these ancient peoples 

 was a A^ervain. And even to-day the 

 name "Herb of Grace" is sometimes ap- 

 plied to the common wayside flower 

 which we illustrate. 



Virgil and other classic poets speak of 

 the Verbena as used in altar decorations 

 and as a garland for beasts led to the 

 sacrificial pyre. Virgil, in his Eclogues, 

 refers to it as a charm by which tO' re- 

 cover lost love. Plinius states that no 

 plant has been more honored than the 

 Verbena among the Romans. Mr. 

 Knight, in his biography of Shakespeare, 

 says : ''Some of the children said that 

 a horseshoe over the door, and Vervain 

 and dill, would preserve them, as they 

 had been told, from the devices of sor- 

 cerv." 



The genus Verbena includes about one 

 hundred and ten species, often of a weedy 

 character. They are chiefly American. 

 In fact, in 1836, Loudon spoke of the 

 Verbenas as ''a genus of weedy plants." 

 At the present time this statement is 

 not true of many species, for under the 

 florist's influence they have been brought 

 to a high degree of perfection and they 

 are well thought of as ornamental plants. 

 Even in Loudon's time there grew on the 

 prairies of South America several species 

 of great beauty which he would not have 

 classed as weeds had he been familiar 

 with them. 



The Blue Vervain is one of the weedy 

 members of the genus. It is common 

 along our waysides and with its erect 

 form and long spikes of blue flowers 

 would be quite attractive could the flow- 

 ers all mature at the same time. It has 

 frequently been placed under cultivation, 

 but has 'but little value as a garden 

 flower. But in the waste grounds of 

 roadsides it is a pleasing sight even if its 

 leaves are gray with dust. 



This plant is sometimes called Simp- 

 ler's Joy. It was given this name be- 

 cause in years gone by it was a popular 

 herb with the "simplers," or gatherers 

 of medicinal plants. 



THE BLUE SPRING DAISY. 



{Eri^eron pulchcllns.) 



Daisy-like and modest, is not the name 

 the Blue Spring Daisy much more appro- 

 priate for this hardy little plant than Rob- 

 in's or Poor Robin's Plantain, by which 

 it is often known? What has it to do 

 with the robin? To be sure it sends 

 fortli its stems and blossoms in April 

 wluii the birds are ]iappicst,yct the robins 



appear much earlier. Then, too, the rob- 

 ins are not poor, for they are the best 

 cared for among birds. Its flowers are 

 often of a bluish cast, though they may 

 be violet or even nearly wliite ; they ap- 

 pear in the spring and are daisy-like. 

 The botanist knows this plant of the 

 hills and banks as one of the species of 



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