\2'2 



A CIIAPTER ON PHLOXES. 



and the Aquilcgia ranadrnsi?, flower at the 

 same time, and siifliciently resemble each 

 other to form a handsome and graceful 

 group. The Baplisia being taller should be 

 in the centre or back grouud ; and the Dic- 

 tamnus, a smaller plant, in front. An al- 

 most endless series of groups maybe made 

 from the different Roses, which possess near- 

 ly all the intermediate shades from the black 

 velvet crimson of the Miralba and George 

 the Fourth, to the pure white of the Snow- 

 ball Rose and Bath Moss. Superb displays 

 of colours may also be made by forming the 

 Boursaults into pillars of various shades^ 

 the crimson or purple of the Old Boursault, 

 and the lighter and more delicate flame of 

 the New Crimson, combining finely with the 

 paler hues of the Pink and Blush Boursaults. , 



It will be observed that these arc not alway 

 to be closely intermixed, but so as to form, 

 in some degree, separate masses. Nature 

 has sometimes provided for the same result, 

 as for example in the changing hues of the 

 New Crimson Boursault and the old Single 

 Michigan. Some of the Pa^onias exhibit a 

 very fine appearance when properly planted 

 together in the same bed. Even some 

 shrubs may be trained low for this purpose. 

 For example, the common Snowball {llf/ur- 

 num opulus), if kept cut low, and planted 

 near the Double Rose Pa;onia, produces the 

 finest effect from the similarity in the clear- 

 ness of the colours, and the size of the 

 masses of flowers, the clear red of the one 

 contrasting with the pure snow white of the 

 other. J. J. Thomas. 



A CHAPTER ON PHLOXES. 

 BY JOSEPH BRECK, OF BOSTON, 3IASS. 



It is a singular fact that many of our most 

 beautiful indigenous plants are first known 

 and cultivated in England ; and that to Eng- 

 lish botanists and collectors of plants, we 

 are in many cases indebted for a knowledge 

 of their existence. With few exceptions, 

 this has been the case with the very desira- 

 ble and ornamental family of Phloxes, a 

 genus exclusively North American ; yet un- 

 til within a few years, we have been look- 

 ing to the mother country, and receiving 

 from her florists, new species and varieties 

 to adorn our gardens. There is, however, 

 a prospect that we shall soon be enabled to 

 pay the debt of gratitude we owe them, 

 with interest ; for it is found that the Phlox, 

 in its own congenial climate, when brought 

 under the favorable influences of cultivation, 

 freely sports into beautiful and improved 

 varieties, superior in many cases, to those 



produced by our floral fraternity in Europe, 

 Notwithstanding the numerous new varieties 

 that have been imported within the last few 

 years, we sincerely believe that as many va- 

 rieties, fully equal in perfection and beauty, 

 have been produced in the same time by a 

 few members of the Massachusetts Horti- 

 cultural Society, in this vicinity. 



The generic word Phlox is from a Greek 

 word signifying flame. The plant so named 

 by the ancients, is supposed to be an Agro- 

 stemma, a very different plant. Our Phlox, 

 an American plant, was not of course then 

 known. It belongs to Class Pentandria, 

 (five stamens,) Order Monogynia,(one style,) 

 of the Linnean system ; and of Jussieu's 

 Natural Orders, Polemoniaceae, from Pole- 

 monium, its type. 



The characters of the genus are, a three 

 celled capsule ; corolla salver-shaped, divi 



