134 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST 
empire of France can boast of but eighteen 
of the same description. It is this immense 
variety of species which gives to the Ameri¬ 
can forests that constant diversity of foliage 
which so attracts the eye oi every European 
traveler. 
Ifortialtiiral gepitncnt 
VERBENAS. 
Mr. Edmonds has long been a successful 
raiser of this interesting and useful tribe of 
plants. Princess Royal, Speciosissima, and 
Ormesby Beauty were among his first pro¬ 
ductions that attracted attention. These 
were succeeded by Bridesmaid, Rouge et 
Noir, Anne Laurie, Mrs. Gerard Leigh, 
President, &c. The great superiority of Mr. 
Edmonds’s Verbenas over most other kinds 
is the large and distinctive white or yellow 
eye that they possess, almost resembling 
that of an Alpine Auricula. This most con¬ 
spicuous in one of the varieties now figured, 
named Wonderful; and being of good habit, 
dwarf, and very free blooming, will make an 
interesting plant for pot culture, as well as 
a first-rate bedding variety. Blue Beard is 
also very novel and attractive, and, together 
with Wonderful and Lady Lacon, make a 
group of three excellent flowers—the two 
last named having been successfully exhib¬ 
ited at the National Floricultural Society. 
Since January, 1849, there has not been 
any Verbenas figured in the Florist. Three 
varieties then appeared, which were consid¬ 
ered great novelties at the time, only one of 
which is now retained in collections, namely, 
Princess Alice—so great and rapid has been 
the improvement in this flower. Messrs. A. 
Henderson & Co. have a fine large scarlet 
variety to send out this spring, raised by Mr. 
Woodroffe, named Mrs. Woodroflfe ; it is a 
bold, noble variety. Mr. Smith, of the Tol- 
lington Nursery, Hornsey Road, is also of¬ 
fering some pretty additions this spring. 
Boule de Feu and Violacea are among the 
best of them. 
The following are the best older varieties 
that have come under our notice : 
Annie Laurie (Edmonds), deep rosy lilac, 
with large white eye ; distinct. 
Bouquet Parfait (Chauviere), shaded rosy 
purple. 
Brilliant, orange scarlet, yellow eye. 
Brilliant de Vaise, shaded crimson, large 
truss. 
Cardinal Wiseman, new, rose, large truss. 
Comtesse de Belleval (Chauviere), lilac 
blue, large truss. 
Defiance (Robinson), deep bright scarlet. 
Eblouisante (Chauviere), deep scarlet, 
large dark center. 
Francisse Rousseau (Chauviere) blush, 
large deep pink center, fine. 
Forget-me-not (Smith), large lilac, crimson 
eye. 
Islington Rival (Smith), pale scarlet, good. 
Jerome (Thompson), deep rosy purple, 
large truss. 
King of Scarlets (Thompson), brilliant 
orange scarlet, creeping habit. 
Mdlle. deFreleuse (Chauviere),paleblush, 
large pink center. 
Mrs. F. Caley (Chauviere), white, small 
pink eye, fine truss. 
Mrs. D. Tysson (Robinson), bush white, 
with large crimson center. 
Orb of Day (Hovey), deep scarlet, dwarf 
erect habit, good truss. 
President (Edmonds), deep plum purple, 
very dwarf habit. 
Purple King (Reeves), dwarf erect habit, 
deep purple. 
Rouge et Noir (Edmonds) dark crimson, 
large white center. 
Rougieri (Chauviere), deep scarlet, with 
large dark center, very large truss. 
White Perfection, white. 
William Barnes (Chauviere),crimson, with 
large dark center.— The Florist. 
For the American Agriculturist. 
THE FORMATION OF A FLOWER GARDEN. 
Among the accompaniments of flower 
gardens, though rarely seen, is the rock 
work. This consists of various masses of 
large stones, those of remarkable form being 
generally chosen, such as have a very rug¬ 
ged appearance, or contain petrifactions or 
impressions. When put in position, the cav¬ 
ities must be filled with earth. Alpine or 
trailing plants may then be inserted. These 
are numerous, and look very pretty when 
planted with judgment. A separate com¬ 
partment should be set apart for roses and 
dahlias. The latter, when grown between 
standard roses, have a pretty effect. 
A variety of soils is required in the flower 
garden to suit the very different kinds of 
plants that need to be cultivated. Rhodo¬ 
dendrons, and such plants as are generally 
termed American, delight in a sandy peat 
soil; but peat cut from its natural bed and 
partially decomposed, is of no value what¬ 
ever ; or, it is in some cases, really injurious 
to the plants. 
For the general purposes of the flower 
garden a light loamy soil is best. If the 
ground requires raising, recourse should be 
had to old pastures—when the surface earth 
should be taken, if not wanted for immediate 
use. The turf and the surface earth adhering 
to it should be laid up in a rough state, in 
which way it is continually ameliorating by 
the decomposition of the vegetable matter, 
and the action of the air. After lying in this 
state 12 months it will be in fine order, and 
fit for any purpose. W. Summersbey. 
Chesterfield, Va. 
GLOXINIAS, GESNERAS, AND ACHIMENES. 
These beautiful flowers have most fre¬ 
quently been treated as stove plants. In the 
observations I am desirous to make, I wish 
to show that they are better cultivated in a 
greenhouse. If the bulbs be placed in heat 
either in March or April, either in a melon 
frame or a dung or tan bed, until they have 
started, they may be brought into the green¬ 
house and will succeed the Geraniums. 
They will continue in flower during four or 
five months ; this is the treatment recom¬ 
mended by the well-known horticulturist, 
Mr. Louis Van Houtte, of Ghent—and for 
the last ten years I have treated them thus. 
In the stove their beauty is soon over, in 
the greenhouse it continues for months. 
Those who are desirous to hybridize these 
plants should sow their seed very early in 
the spring, and they will flower very freely 
in August. The winter care of the plant is 
this : allow them to die down, and never cut 
away leaves or stem until this be the case, 
and let the pots repose on their sides where 
no moisture can come near them, not too 
near the flues of your greenhouse, this would 
cause the bulbs to wither; and in the spring 
repot them, shaking carefully all mold from 
the Gloxinia, and separating the other bulbs 
if you possess any rare sorts—every scale 
of the Achimenes will grow. The best of the 
present Achimenes are these—Sir Trehern 
Thomas, Gigantea (Van Houtte), Cherita 
Mexicana, Gloxiniaffiora, and picturata mar- 
ganita. Gigantea, which is most beautiful, 
produces bunches of flowers, and lasts in 
flower during five months; it was raised 
from seed by Mr. Van Houtte, and partakes 
partly of the character of the Gesnera. The 
Gloxinia may be seen in great beauty at the 
gardens of Messrs, Veitch, Henderson, and 
Turner, of Slough. Mr. Van Houtte, of 
Ghent, often raises twenty thousand seed¬ 
lings.—E. T., in Florist. 
For the American Agriculturist. 
GARDENING IN VIRGINIA. 
Agreeable to your wish I send you the 
following principal points in the gardeningof 
this State, as far as I have at present seen. 
Probably no State in the Union possesses 
such facilities for the formation of beautiful 
gardens as this, since it is what may be 
technically termed, a rolling country, diversi¬ 
fied by streams of the clearest water, with 
hills and dales that charm the eye, and, at 
this season of the year, perhaps the most 
beautiful sight that can be imagined. 
Although fine gardens arc few and far be¬ 
tween, when met with they are such as to 
amply repay one for visiting, since they 
are laid out with that refined taste which 
characterize gentlemen of the south. The 
winding of the carriage roads beneath the 
hills gives opportunity of seeing objects of 
interest, by no means few, to the great¬ 
est advantage. The mansions are mostly 
built upon the highest point of the estate, 
and approached by winding roads, beside 
which the Magnolia Grandiflora revels in the 
greatest luxuriance. This splendid tree is 
the handsomest evergreen in cultivation. 
The azalea and many other plants that re¬ 
quire artificial treatment do remarkably well 
here. In the north, I have seen some Mag¬ 
nolias 40 feet in height, showing abundant 
promise of a profusion of flowers, one of 
which is sufficient to fill a large house with 
its delightful fragrance. After catching a 
glimpse of the mansion about a fourth of a 
mile distant, nothing more is seen of it till, 
by a sudden turn, you find yourself in front 
of it, with a beautiful lawn, and an extensive 
view of the surrounding country before you. 
I have seen one style of laying out flower 
gardens here which I have not seen else¬ 
where. As I consider it decidedly pretty, 
and economical, I send you the following de¬ 
scription : Supposing the plot of ground al¬ 
ready prepared, the figures or beds are 
marked out on the earth, and stones about 
ten inches in circumference or more, accord¬ 
ing to taste, are let in the ground, and 
pressed firmly, to keep them in their places, 
leaving two-thirds of the stone above the 
earth, which is painted white, when the fig¬ 
ures are completed, the walks finely graveled 
and well rolled, they present a handsome 
flower garden, at a very trifling expense, 
looking cheerful and pretty in the depth of 
winter, when ordinary flower gardens have 
lost their charms. I need not say with what 
little trouble and expense these gardens 
are kept in admirable order. 
Vegetables are grown in great abundance, 
and, in some instances, with less labor, and 
a more expeditious mode of culture, than in 
the north, though not differing widely from 
