i895- 



' ' ■ GARDENING. 



373 



^•i^;^*^^ 





I mm 



A TRUSS OF HARDY PHLOX 



Richard Wallace. — White, with violet 

 center; very large flower; tall. 



ViERGK Marie.— Pure white; very large, 

 and of a beautiful waxy texture; tall. 



NEW VARIETIES. 



Amazo.ve. — Flowers large, perfect form, 

 creamy white. 



•VvALANCHE.— Dwarf. Flowers medium 

 size, creamy white. 



Belvidere. — Plant very dwarf; carmine 

 rose. 



BuRNOUE.— Flowers small; dark red, 

 center purple. 



Caran d'Ache.— Large beautiful flower; 

 carmine rose, center violet rose. 



Ki'Oi'EE. — Dwarf. Large p rfect flow- 

 ers; clear violet marbled rose. 



Flambeau.— Large flower; very lively 

 brick orange, large center, blood velvet. 



CiRoscLAVDE. — Large flower; rich deep 

 red, cherry eye. 



Henri Mirger. — Flow, rs vcrv large; 

 pure white, center large carmine. 



Iris.— Flowers very large; bluish violet, 

 large blue center. 



Louis Chate.— Brilliant scarlet. 



.Neptune.— Mauve; salmon tinted; rose 

 eye. 



Pluton.— Large panicles; flowers round; 

 deep fuchsia red. 



Selection. — Largemauve flowers, with 

 large white center. 



Stendhal. — Large flower; coppery rose; 

 very large, rich cherry center. 



Wm. Robinson.— Flowers very large; 

 violet; pale salmon rose center. 



The phlox does not figurein the flowers 

 of the "Winter's Tale" forthe reason that 

 it was unknown in Shakspeare's time. 

 Neither had the cunning of the hybridizer 

 evolved the splendid forms that exist 

 to-day, or Tennyson must have included 

 it among the flowers specified in the gar- 

 den of "Maud." 



This flower, whose development it 

 should be recollected is due to the 

 European hybridizers, who are also to be 

 credited with the evolution of the azalea, 

 is distinctly American. From the species 

 P.paniculata audits varieties acuminata, 

 decussata and pyramidalis, as well as 

 from the lower growing species P. macu- 

 lata, indigenous to the Middle and West- 

 ern States, have been produced the rare 

 and exquisite varieties under present cul- 

 tivation. It is also asserted that some 

 of the most brilliant of the dwarfer sorts 

 are the result of crosses between the pe- 

 renni.al and annual species. 



Perfectly hardy, the phlox is easily cul- 

 tivated in most soils. Its only insect 

 enemies are the grub of the May or June 

 bug and the wire worm, which sometimes 

 are destructive to the roots. In unfavor- 

 able soils and seasons some varieties are 

 liable to mildew, this being more espe- 

 cially the case with certain of the whites. 

 Good soil is required to grow the phlox 

 successfully, and partial shade and an 

 occasional thorough soaking during drv 

 hot wc-ither do much to maintain the 

 health of the ])lant. By jiinching the 



shoots in June and again in July the flow- 

 ering may be retarded, although this will 

 tell against the size of the trusses. The 

 riiiest trusses are produced by young 

 jjlants raised from cuttings. Some vari- 

 eties continue to flourish for years, form- 

 ing huge plants and annually producing 

 fine heads of bloom. Others deteriorate 

 .ifter the third year, when they should be 

 divided and transplanted, though it may 

 be observed that a transplanted plant is 

 apt to be disappointing. Still conditions 

 \iuy greatly, and some varieties that 

 deteriorate after the third season in one 

 climate continue to luxuriate in another. 

 The flower lover will be best governed by 

 his own failuris and successes. Experi- 

 eiitia (locct is a precept that holds good 

 witli phloxes as with other things, and 

 which can be no better illustrated in gar- 

 dening than by the great bed of the vari- 

 ety Lothair in the Mount Hope Nurseries 

 that from every truss and petal flares the 

 derivative name of the phlox— a "torch," 

 a "flame." Monroe. 



Rochester, N. Y., August S, 1805. 



CfllNfl flSTER ROOT LICB, 



S. W. A., Lake Geneva, Wis., writes: 

 "My China asters slowly fade away. 

 When pulled up many have insects on the 

 tap root that look like those one finds on 

 rose leaves." 



No doubt they are the blue aphis or 

 China aster root lice, a widespread and 

 destructive pest. Send to a cigar factory 

 or seed store for a bimdle of /res/j( be'sure 

 they are fresh, if thej' aren't they are 

 worth'ess) tobacco stems, and mulch the 

 aster beds two to three inches deep with 

 these, then water them so as to carry the 

 pungent liquid down to the roots. That 

 is for prevention and partial cure. Steep 

 a lot of stems in a tub of water over 

 night till the liquid is so dark that at six 

 inches deep you cannot see a white plate 

 at the bottom; now pour enough of this 

 li(|uid at the root of the asters till it soaks 

 down to the lowest root. Repeat this 

 two days after, and say once a week after 

 that. That should kill the lice. A half 

 inch layer of tobacco powder under the 

 leaves about the neck of the plants and 

 well watered into the ground is also kill- 

 ing to the insects. Clean plants can be 

 kept clean, but it is not an easy matter 

 to recuperate an enervated China aster. 

 While we buy tobacco stems in large 

 quantity for about V2 a cent a pound in 

 small quantity they will cost 2,3 or more 

 cents a pound; on the other hand some 

 small factories in villages having no mar- 

 ket for tobacco refuse are sometimes glad 

 to have one take it awav. 



HflRDY PINKS, WHEN TO DIVIDE TflEM. 



H. C. B,, New York, writes: "Our bor- 

 der is about 1.50 feet long and is edged 

 with hardy pinks such as the Snow, Ab- 

 botsford and Her Majesty. I wish to 

 extend this bed, and as the clumps of 

 pinks are quite large I would like to divide 

 them and finish the work in season to 

 order others to fill out with provided any 

 are needed. Will you please advise me 

 how soon it will be safe to make these 

 divisions and transplant." 



Lift, divide and replant them at once, 

 the sooner the better so that they may 

 have a good chance to make fresh roots 

 and get a hold of the soil before frost 

 com s. But don't divide them into such 

 small pieces as you would do in spring. 

 Water them liberally and as often as 

 needed. And in wintermulch them lightly, 

 not because they are tender but to help 

 ])revcnt the frost heaving them out of the 

 gmund. 



