BEDDING PLANTS. , 333 



the plants will not suffer fr6m the heat of the sun. After plant- 

 ing it is TisuaUy necessary to give them a thorough sprinkling 

 through a fine rose, to settle the soil ahout the plants. Beyond 

 this they will seldom require any attention other than to keep 

 the ground free from weeds, and give it an occasional stirring 

 and loosening around the plants. Inexperiencpd cultivators are 

 very apt to give the Verbena too much water. If the soil he as 

 rich as it should be, it is very seldom indeed that the Verbena 

 bed will require water. 



Those who wish to keep Verbenas over winter, either in the 

 dweUing-house or in the green-house, should never take up the 

 old plants that have been blooming aU summer in the garden. 

 They never do well, and will probably die before spring. In 

 order to grow them in the house successfully they should obtain 

 young plants. These may be obtained by selecting one or two 

 plants of each variety it is desired to grow through the winter, 

 and about the tenth of August cutting off all the flowers and 

 seed vessels, and about sis inches from the ends of the shoots. 

 The object is to start the plant into a fresh and vigorous growth, 

 hence whatever may tend to facilitate this may be done at this 

 time, such as stirring the soil and adding a dressing of compost. 



After the plants have started into a fresh growth, cuttings of 

 the new and tender shoots, which will be sufficiently grown by 

 the middle of September, may be taken from them and struck 

 in a little pure sand with a gentle bottom heat Cuttings of 

 fresh growth only should be -used, and as soon as rooted should 

 be potted off in small pots. These plants will grow weU duriug 

 the winter, and will afford cuttings in March and April, from 

 which plants may be struck for summer planting. 



It is not necessary that any list of names should be given. 

 Each one may select from the nurseryman's ligt such as please 

 best ; all are beautiful, many are fragrant, and no one pan fail of 

 obtaining a bed of beautiful flowers that will be gay all the 

 season. Besides, our liorists are constantly producing new varie- 

 ties from seed, and those that stand in the front rank to-day 

 will soon be crowded out by new comers. 



