Camera Snapshots 



By W. H. Waite. 



No. 4 — Primula Malacoides. — This beautiful baby prim- 

 rose has so far been somewhat of a disappointment to 

 many growers, due partly to the description of it given in 

 some of the catalogues last spring, in some of which, it 

 is said, it may be had in bloom at any time and in a few 

 months from the time of sowing. This is not quite true, 

 as seed sown last jMarch is not yet in flower, and seed 

 sown in May is just as far advanced, and, if anything, 

 better plants than those sown earlier. The general mis- 

 take that has been made this season with this plant was 

 the sowing of the seed too early. The month of May, I 

 find, is soon enough to sow the seed. In the early sowings 

 the plants get so large and soft that during the hot, humid 

 weather they dampen off very readily. 



With these large and soft plants I have found it a good 

 plan to cut them entirely over, keeping them a little dry 

 and starting them up afresh. 



They want to be grown in a cool, light, airy place, and 

 should never be syringed over head. Many growers have 

 spoken to me about this plant, and they all seem to be 

 disappointed so far with it, but to those who are not ac- 

 quainted with it but are grow'ing it for the first time I 

 would ask them to be a little more patient, for when well 

 grown this is a most beautiful primula, and they will all 

 be more than satisfied with it yet. 



No. 5 — Phlox Elizabeth Campbell. — The hardy 

 Phlo.xes are amongst the most desirable of our border 

 plants, and the past few years have seen a wonderful im- 

 provement, both in size and coloring. They are so cheap 

 and easily propagated that there is no reason why the 

 old-fashioned varieties with their objectionable colors and 

 mildewed leaves should not be discarded entirely. 



While there are a numlaer of good varieties that I could 

 recommend that are still wiiat one might sav are uncom- 



mon, the subject of this note and illustration is one of 

 which I am especially fond, and one which I find is a great 

 favorite, with nearly every one who sees it. In color it is 

 a bright salmon pink with lighter shadings, something 

 we have not had in Phloxes previous to the introduction 

 of this variety. 



In strong young plants the truss is perfect in form, and 

 the fiorets large; I have seen them often without exag- 

 geration the size of a silver dollar. 



ruiMii.A ^r \T..\roinEs. 



I'llI.OX KirZAIlETII CAMPP.KIJ.. 



\MiiIe on the subject of Phloxes a few notes on their 

 propagation would not be out of place. I find that the 

 best and quickest method is bj' root cuttings ; cut the roots 

 into sections of an inch or so in length, sow thinly in 

 flats, the same as seeds, cover with a layer of sand and 

 keep them in a temperature of about 40 degrees, and they 

 will in a few weeks come up as thick as grass. Now is a 

 good time to prepare for tiiis work ; root cuttings put in 

 now will all make blooming plants by next fall. The 

 photograph herewith illlustrated was made in September 

 from a young plant rooted from a root cutting propa- 

 gated in March ; there were several hundred in the batch 

 and every one had a spike just as good. 



I do not think this method of propagation is so well 

 known as it ought to be. I gather this from the fact tjiat 

 in conversation with a college professor of horticulture 

 it was entirely new to liim. This method is used in all 

 the large liardy plant nurseries and ex|)lains why a new 

 variety can in a few months be sold by the thousands. 



No. 6 — Bush ChrysanlJiemums exhibited at the New 

 "N^ork Show. — The accompanying illustration is, I think, 

 of sufficient interest to find a place in the pages of the 

 Chronicle. I believe I am justified in saying that never 

 lieforc in the history of liorticulture, either in this or any 

 other country, have such splendid specimens been 



