12 
VERBENA. 
consideration, as the plants, houses, pits, and frames need not 
be so much crowded; consequently it admits of a better circu¬ 
lation of air at the season when it is most required. I would 
recommend about the month of June or July to turn out in 
some open border or spare piece of ground a plant or two of 
those varieties worth cultivating, from two or three feet apart, keep¬ 
ing them well watered in dry weather, and free from weeds ; at 
the end of August layer the shoots into three-inch pots, plunged 
about the plants and filled with good light loam of free texture, 
let each shoot be kept in its proper place by inserting a small peg 
or placing a stone on the same; by adopting this simple mode 
of treatment anon, you have good plants, as the most delicate 
will thus root freely and make fine healthy plants, the only 
attention required being to water and stop the shoots as they 
grow ; these being thoroughly established may be wintered with 
little difficulty, and may be increased to almost any extent in the 
spring, giving them a shift into five-inch pots at the time of their 
transition into a higher temperature. Never let them become sod- 
dened at any time, especially when in small pots in the autumn. 
In potting off the cuttings in spring, two may be placed in a 
three-inch pot, to be separated when turned into the beds where 
they are to bloom. After they are potted off from the cutting 
pot or pan, and somewhat established, expose them as much 
as possible to induce a sturdy growth. In the autumn and most 
part of winter, through the density of the atmosphere, more 
particularly where free ventilation cannot be given, mildew may 
probably make its appearance; should such be the case, and the 
plants be in cold frames or pits, let them all, on a fine drying 
day, be taken out, the place thoroughly cleaned out, and the 
plants dusted with sulphur and water sparingly; they are also 
liable to become infested with the green fly ; the progress of these 
intruders should be stopped on their first appearance by fumi¬ 
gating with tobacco, if this is neglected the plants soon assume 
an unsightly appearance, their growth is impeded, and health im¬ 
paired, fit companions only for those plants which find their way 
to the rubbish heap. 
Many consider the Verbena to be very impatient of frost. I 
have proved that they will endure ten degrees when kept tolerably 
dry without any apparent inconvenience. 
