106 FAMILIAR GARDEN FLOWERS. 



range is chiefly in the shades of red and purple, passing to 

 pure white in one direction, and purple-blue in another. 

 The parent species were introduced to cultivation from 1826 

 to 1837, and therefore we may regard the present subject 

 as somewhat of a novelty, although, in the language of 

 the garden, the verbena is quite an old flower, because we 

 have seen it come in and go out of fashion. Its beauty 

 remains — change of fashion does not affect that; and its 

 usefulness is not greatly diminished, even though the ver- 

 bena is no longer in much request as a bedding subject. 



The generic name refers to the vervain, or ferfain of 

 Celtic superstition. This, the Verbena officinalis of British 

 botany, was in great repute in pagan times as a herb of 

 sacrifice and a medicine of great power. The Roman poets 

 frequently allude to it, and the later gatherers of mystic 

 lore found it useful to adorn their verses. Spenser asso- 

 ciates the " dull poppy " with the " vein-healing verven ; " 

 and Drayton declares the " holy vervayne " to be " 'gainst 

 witchcraft much availing." The vervain is as nearly 

 destitute as may be of any useful property, and the South 

 American verbenas are in the like case ; they haye but their 

 beauty to recommend them, and that is sufficient. 



The garden verbena fell from its high estate in a way 

 that many other favourites have fallen : not through the 

 frown of public disfavour, but by the prevalence of a 

 mortal plague. What was called " verbena disease " com- 

 pelled in many cases a discontinuance of the cultivation ; 

 but as the plant fell into neglect the disease disappeared, 

 and its health and vigour were restored — a fact very sug- 

 gestive of the evil of what has been termed " over-cultiva- 

 tion." The fact is, the gardeners had to crowd and starve 

 thousands of plants to keep pace with the demands of the 



