MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 123 
size for permanent planting. Another method employed 
where greenhouse facilities are available is to take up old 
plants from the garden in December, pot them, and force 
grows Good strong cuttings may then be obtained in 
arch, which are rooted and potted in the usual manner. 
The most common and easiest method of propagation to 
be employed by amateurs consists of taking up the plants 
in the fall or spring and dividing the clumps with a spade 
or knife. Phlox increase by underground stolons grow- 
ing outward, and it is these young vigorous shoots on the 
outside which produce best plants. The newly divided 
plants should be set out at once. With the dwarf and creep- 
ing species (P. subulata), large plants may be converted into 
numerous small ones by shaking some light soil among them 
in the summer and then dividing in the fall, when the trail- 
ing branches will be found to have rooted. 
The garden culture of phlox is very simple. As they are 
gross feeders, the soil should be worked up to a depth of 
eighteen inches to two feet and well enriched with well-rotted 
manure. The manure is especially necessary in light sandy 
soil to conserve moisture. It should be used sparingly in stiff 
heavy soil, however, in view of a prevalent spot disease 
caused by a fungus, Cercospora phlogina. The disease is 
characterized by circular brown spots on the foliage, which 
on the upper surface show a dark brown border. The dis- 
tance of planting should vary from two to three feet, de- 
pending upon the effects docived. For color grouping 
clumps may be set two feet apart without being overcrowded. 
: lox suffer in hot weather because of their tendency to 
form roots at the surface. To avoid this, mulching with 
well-decayed cow manure should be resorted to in June. 
Moderate shade is also beneficial during the hot part of the 
day, so that an eastern or western border is — to one 
facing south. For the best results phlox should be divided 
every three or four years. 
The Garden has a good collection of phlox in the economic 
garden, consisting of the following varieties arranged ac- 
cording to their coloring: 
Diadem.—Dwart. . Fi 
eanne d’Are.— : ing. 
 perre ee — Late-flowering. 
Mrs. Jenkins.—Very large flower trusses. Early-flowering. The best 
of the whites. 
WHITE WITH CRIMSON CENTER 
_ Albion.—White with faint red eye. : 
Bridesmaid.—Pure white with large carmine center. 
