PETUNIA, Nat. Ord. Solanacece. 
Just fifty years ago, the White Petunia was found by a botanical explorer in South America, at 
the mouth of the Rio de la Plata. 
For seven years the florists of Europe were delighted with this 
poor, white flower, when a Purple Petunia was discovered 
in Brazil. Since that time, 1830, the improvement of this 
flower has been constant. About fifteen years since the floral 
world were surprised by the announcement of a double white 
Petunia. It was only semi-double, but now we have them M^ell 
doubled, of all colors, and as large as any one can wish. Seed 
sown in the spring will produce flowering plants in June that 
will continue to bloom abundantly until frost, and may be 
sown in a cold-frame or hot-bed, or in the open ground. Set 
the plants about eighteen inches apart. They come pretty true 
from seed, though not reliable in this respect, being inclined 
to sport. The Petunia as at present cultivated embraces three 
distinct classes. The grandiflora varieties make quite a strong, 
succulent growth, and the stems and leaves are sticky to the 
touch. These bear a few veiy large, magnificent flowers, often 
from three to four 
inches across. They 
bear but few seeds 
and these are obtain- 
ed at great expense of 
labor. In the open 
ground they give no 
seed, so plants for seed must be grown in pots on stages, 
sheltered from rain and dews, and fertilization is accom- 
plished by hand, the pollen being distributed with the 
aid of a camel-hair brush. Of course, seed obtained in 
this way is always expensive, but the wonderful size 
and the richness of the coloring well repays the cost. 
In this class we have a Fringed Petunia, new and 
unique. The Double Petunia gives no seed, and those 
that will produce double flowers are obtained by fertiliz- 
ing single flowers with the pollen of the double, in 
the manner previously described. The third class is the 
small flowered varieties. The plants are of a slender, 
wiry growth, but cover a good deal of ground. They 
bear an immense number of flowers, from early summer 
until frost, and seed freely in the open ground. A well filled circular bed, six feet in diameter, 
will display continually, without a day's intermission, thousands of flowers. We know of no 
annual, and but few flowers of any kind, that will make a more brilliant bed. Our engravings 
show one of the small-flowered varieties of natural size, and a double flower much reduced. 
PHAGELIA, Nat. Ord. HydrophyllacecB. 
The Phacelias are hardy annuals, very much resembling the Eutocas, and, we believe, all 
natives of America. Most of the varieties are blue, though there are some white. This flower 
V,.-,. does not really possess much merit, though pretty fair as a border 
plant, and good for bouquet making. We only 
recommend two varieties. P. tanacetifolia 
alba, presenting a very remarkable appearance 
from the strings of whitish flowers that appear 
to have just unrolled, the long, black hairs 
with which it is covered, and the singular sta- 
mens, which project far beyond the corolla of 
the flowers. P. congesta is somewhat less robust, not so hairy, and flowers light blue. 
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