QUESTION BOX 277 



I told the owner there must be some mistake. He said, "No." When 

 I got home mine were clear white with crimson eye. A few weeks 

 later we had cool wet weather, and mine had exactly the same colored 

 blooms as those in Colorado. 



They never should be planted on stiff clay land. The roots cannot 

 penetrate the clay, and if they do, when you come to dig them if the 

 ground is dry the hard clay will retain the roots. A sandy loam 

 is the best, but our rich prairie soil does well enough, especially if not 

 Infested with angle worms, for these pests change our fine and pliable 

 earth into a stiff adobe. If grown on rich ground you will have a fine 

 root system. Some kinds will do much better in some localities than 

 others. Etna, Coquelicot, LeMahdi, and many others may do well in 

 the more congenial soil of England and the Atlantic states, but they are 

 absolutely worthless west of the Missouri river. Here we must liave 

 soemthing that will endure our climatic changes. Some kinds are sure 

 to blight in wet weather, and some will completely burn up when it is 

 very hot and dry. So the florist is often blamed when plants do not do 

 well, when all the damage should be charged up to the weather man. 



Again cultivation has much to do with success. If plants are left 

 to utter neglect they cannot do as well as with the best of care. 

 Above all avoid having them go in partnership with weeds. These make 

 bad landlords, often exacting one-half and sometimes taking all. If 

 you must have weeds, keep them by themselves. 



The Time of Plaiiting. 



This depends largely on the condition of the ground and also of 

 the plants. This year we planted very successfully in July and August. 

 The ground was in fine order, and we took a ball of earth with the 

 roots and they did not seem to know they were moved. Sometimes we 

 left the flowers on, but it is better to cut them off, leaving stems to 

 about six inches in length. In September these short stems were 

 throwing out shoots in fine order soon after planting. August planting 

 may do at home when you wish to change from one bed to another, but 

 it would hardly do to ship from a distance unless you get potted plants 

 which are sent with a ball of earth and can be shipped at any time. 



Experiiiieiitiiig. 



Probably no one in America has given more attention to phloxes 

 than ourselves. For years we have been raising seedling phloxes grown ' 

 from seed of the very choicest. These show up well with the imported 

 ones growing beside them. But we want the very best, so we do not 

 venture to save more than one in a thousand. These are watched very 

 closely to see if year by year they will bear all the tests of our trying 

 climate. They must grade up to the five points of excellence. (1) There 

 must be a symmetrical head. (2) We want a continuous and prolific 

 bloomer. (3) The plant must have a robust constitution. (4) Ability 



