THE VEKBENA. 



ongir 



Verbena hybrida. 



ILTHOUGH there is no such plant 

 in the learned books as Verbena 

 hybrida, the name may be allow- 

 able now as compassing the 

 fact, and as suggesting in- 

 teresting possibilities. A flower 

 has been formed from the in- 

 ter-crossing of Verbena melin- 

 ites, V. Tweediana, V. incisa, 

 and other species of South 

 American origin, and this com- 

 pound we call the verbena, 

 which, in its collective charac- 

 ter, may for garden purposes 

 have the rank of a species. It 

 is not improbable that it has 

 the power of a species too, for 

 the cultivators cross the varie- 

 ties only now, fearing to spoil 

 the flower by the introduction 

 of any more alien blood. The 

 great range' of variation of this 

 favourite is explained by its 

 it presents us with all colours save yellow, but its 



