412 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, September 28, 1858. 
him to make me out a list of all the'best in each class. He 
did so, and something more: he sent me the following de¬ 
scriptive list of ever so many of them. He has twenty- 
nine of the best in the list, which list he has shown to 
some first-rate growers of Verbenas, each of them pro¬ 
nouncing the descriptions as very faithful. One of them 
said it was the most useful account of Yerbenas he had 
ever seen. I believe it to be a valuable contribution, and 
the next step I should like to see taken, would be a very care¬ 
ful abridgement of the forty best kinds to twenty, and then 
to twelve or ten kinds, so that all might know exactly what 
would answer their purpose best. I cannot make the 
selection myself. But I can now say which are the best 
Yerbenas to mix with the variegated Alvssum, and Lobelia 
speciosa, to make the first best row in a fashionable ribbon. 
King of Scarlets is Mr. Scott’s preference, and the original 
Melindris , which I thought was dead and gone long since, 
must be as good as any king or queen that ever lived. I 
never yet saw a better scarlet Verbena than Melindris. It 
was the original kind, and I recollect the first season it 
flowered in England, as well as I do the hot summers of 1826, 
1846, and 1858. The first scarlet Yerbena was flowered in 
England in 1827, by Mr. Perry, gardener to John Hawkins, 
Esq., Bignor Park, Sussex. The seeds were gathered in the 
neighbourhood of Buenos Ayres, by Mr. Pousette, and it 
was figured in the “Botanical Register,” from the garden 
of the Earl of Egremont, at Petworth. This Yerbena is 
Melindris , and, being yet alive, and the best for any purpose, 
I shall order it from Mr. Scott, for the experimental ribbon. 
But dreading another kind of ribbon from the Editor, for 
taking up so much room, here is the list.—D. Beaton. 
Notes on Yerbenas, made August 11, under a 
Broiling Sun. 
Admiration. Light lilac, with white eye; free flowerer, 
medium grower. Colour destroyed by the thrips. 
Admiral Lyons. A pure white, with small purple eye ; 
abundant bloomer, free grower, and good bedder. Stands the 
sun. Al for a white bed. 
Aigle de Meaux. Purplish crimson; large truss, strong 
grower. Fades in the sun, and only fit for a mixed border. 
Amarantina. Dark lilac; fine, large, light eye; free flowerer, 
medium grower. Stands the sun well. 
Andre. Dark purple, changing to a lighter shade; free 
grower and free flowerer. Does not stand the sun. 
Andromaque. A pretty, neat little white, with small pink 
eye; free flowerer, but grows weakly. 
Aurora. Beautiful ruby, and has a yellow eye; free 
flowerer, but a weak grower. Fine in sunshine. 
Black Prince. Unique in colour, dark plum, with darker 
velvety centre; free flowerer, but spare grower. Is super- 
ceded by Negro Girl. 
Blue Bonnet. Dark bluish purple ; free flowerer, medium 
growth; but superseded by Syren. 
Brightonia. Reddish scarlet, changing to brick-red in the 
sun ; free flowerer; medium, compact growth ; pretty; but 
fades in the sun. 
Brillante de Vaise. Ruby scarlet; strong grower, free 
flowerer. Stands all weathers well. First-rate for a lame 
bed. Al. 8 
Cardinal Wiseman. Orange scarlet, or, rather, salmon 
scarlet; free flowerer, large truss, free grower, good bedder. 
Stands the sun well, and makes a nice match-bed with Lord 
Baglan. 
Celine Mallet. A pure pearl white ; dwarf habit and free 
flowerer. A nice edging plant. 
Chauverii. The finest crimson scarlet yet out; free flowerer 
medium growth. Stands all weathers. Good bedder. Al.’ 
Commander-in-Chief. Bright dark scarlet, shaded down 
to light scarlet in the margin; fine, clear eye ; beautiful, but 
spare-growing sort. Stands bright sunshine. 
Crimson Perfection should give way to Crimson King , being 
similar in colour. 
Crimson King. A beautiful crimson, with large light eye ; 
free flowerer and good grower. Stands the sun pretty well. ’ 
Cudigo. Only William Barnes, which see. 
Cupid. Rosy purple, with fine yellow eye; free flowerer 
and free grower. 
Celestial. Rosy pink, or peach ; an immense truss, fine 
flowerer, profuse bloomer, and medium growth. Stands the 
sun well. A nice match for Ktoile de Venus. Al. 
Climax. Lilac purple, very changeable; should have been 
called Cliamelion ; a profuse bloomer, free grower, and fine 
bedder. Al. 
Dazzle. Pretty dwarf scarlet. Good edging sort. 
Defiance. Still the best scarlet self. Stands all weather 
well. 
Dred. A bright dark purple, of Ariosto colour, w T itli a 
small bright eye. A neat and well-formed flower. Stands 
the sun well. 
Due d'Almida. Crimson; one of the earliest-flowering kinds, 
and a first-rate bedder. Stands all weather w T ell. Al. 
Duke of Cambridge. Dark bluish purple, with a large 
white eye; a profuse flowerer and fine bedder. Al of its 
colour, of which there are several. 
Duke of York. Dark crimson. An old sort, but still good; 
Melindres habit, free bloomer, and stands the weather well. 
Kmperor of China is better. 
Ducliesse d'Aumale. Still the best lavender out; flowers 
very early, and continues late. Requires to be well pegged 
down. 
Kmma. An old sort, not now wanted. 
Kmperor of China. A very dark crimson, of the Melindres 
habit; bright small eye. A good bedder, and stands the 
sunshine well. 
Ktoile de Venus , like Celestial. The largest truss and pip 
of any Yerbena, and a nice bedder. Stands the sun well. 
Kugenie. A neat-growing lavender flower, with light 
centre. A weak grower. 
Kva. A yellowish white; of medium growth. 
Keening Star. A reddish scarlet, with fine light centre. 
A striking variety, but fades a little with adverse weather. 
Free bloomer, medium growth. Nearly Al. 
Kield Marshal. An Ariosto, with a large white eye. First- 
rate bedder, and stands the sun well. A'l. 
Geant des Batailles. Fine crimson. Of first-rate qualities. 
Al. Stands the sun first-rate. 
General Simpson. Carmine lake, with bright eye; large, 
fine truss. Of first-rate form, free flowerer, and fine bedder. 
Stands all weather. Al. 
Giralda. A bright-shaded blue, with light centre. Good, 
compact habit, free flowerer, of medium growth. Stands the 
sun well. 
Glowioorm. Shaded purplish crimson, with whitish eye; 
medium grower and free flow T erer. 
Great Western. Light rose, with large white eye. The 
best white rose out; free flowerer, good bedder, and stands 
any w r eather. Al. 
Grandissima . A pure white, like Mont Blanc , but super¬ 
seded by Mrs. Hosier Williams , &c. 
Hector. Not quite so good as Ariosto ; nearly the same 
colour, &c. 
Jean d' Acre. French white, with fine carmine eye; free i 
flowerer, free grower, and good bedder. Al. 
Jessica. Rose, with dark crimson centre; fine truss, free 
grower, and profuse flowerer. Good bedder. 
Jerome. A small form of Ariosto , with a light ring in the j 
centre. Very free flowerer, and neat bedder; of compact 
growth. Al. 
John Kdivards. In the w r ay of Brightonia , bright brick 
red, with fine yellow eye. Good form, free flowerer, free 
grower; but changeable, and suffers from sunshine. 
Julie de Courseilles. Somewhat like Jean d'Acre, but not 
quite so good,—more muddled in the centre. 
King of Roses (Weatheral’s). A too changeable beauty,— 
from bright cherry to dirty pink. J 
King of Purples. A well-formed flower, free bloomer, and i 
good bedder. 
King of Scarlets . No Yerbena is more bright: it is un¬ 
equalled for a small scarlet bed ; a truly beautiful gem, with 
large yellow eye. A very good sort for an edging, with !'•] 
Komg and blue Lobelia. Stands any weather. Al. 
Lady Cardross. A poor brick red, not worth growing. 
Lady A. Foster. A ruby red, with bright eye, but poor 
grower. 
Lady Lacon. Superseded by Bessy Bell. 
Lady Kerrison. A light peach, inclining to white, with a j 
