TENDER BORDER AND BEDDING PLANTS. 347 
February, and the seedlings grown on in pots, hardened off in 
May, and planted out in mixed beds of tropical plants in June. 
If very large plants are desired sow early in autumn, grow on 
in heat in pots and plant out following June. Nat. Ord. 
Solanaceae. 
Tagetes (African, French, and Mexican Marigolds). — 
Half-hardy annuals, belonging to the Daisy order (Compo- 
sitae), and popular bedding and border plants for the summer 
decoration of the flower garden. The African Marigold (T. 
erecta) is a robust-growing species, with large yellow or 
orange flowers, and growing 2ft. high. The double-flowered 
form is the most generally grown. There are several distinct 
varieties, as aurea, orange ; sulphurea, sulphur yellow ; 
iistulosa, double-quilled petals ; and nana, dwarf. These 
are very showy plants for grouping in the mixed sunny 
border. The French Marigold (T. patula) is of less vigorous 
growth, growing 12 to i8in. high, and bearing double flowers 
striped or mottled in all shades of yellow, orange, chestnut, 
etc. The foliage, too, is more finely cut than that of T. 
erecta. The variety called Legion of Honour is a pretty 
single-flowered variety, with yellow ray florets and dark spots 
at the base. Silver King is also a single-flowered variety, with 
sulphur-yellow ray florets and dark spots. Both 6 to gin. 
high only. Nana is a dwarf form, growing 6in. high. T. 
lucida (Mexican Marigold), and its varieties pumila, yellow, 
gin. ; and Golden Ring, orange, 6in., are single-flowered kinds 
with very finely-cut foliage. The last three are much used 
as edgings to beds, or grouping on the margins of borders in 
summer. All three species are easily reared from seed in 
gentle heat in February or March, the seedlings being trans- 
planted into boxes, hardened off early in May, and planted 
out late in May. The African kinds should be planted i8in. ; 
the French a foot; and the Mexican 4 to 6in. apart. They 
require a rich soil and sunny position to grow them well. To 
ensure large blooms on the African kinds, thin out the flower 
buds early, allowing one to every six square inches. Pick 
off the flowers as they decay, then the plants will flower more 
freely. 
Verbena. (Vervain). — The Verbenas are half-hardy peren- 
nials, belonging to their own special order, the Verbenaceae. 
The only partially hardy species is V. venosa, a native of 
Brazil. This has fleshy roots and summer shoots growing 
1 to 2ft. high, bearing purplish or violet flowers freely in 
summer. In light well-drained soils the roots will survive the 
winter for years and produce a crop of flowers annually. Even 
