200 POLEMONIACE^E. 



best of these as regards soil and situation. They all like peat 

 or leaf-mould well decomposed, but they grow and flower very 

 freely in any well-drained garden-soil ; though, if it is a heavy 

 loam or clay, while they will not refuse to grow in it, they do 

 not flower so freely as in Hghter or sandy loam : it is well, there- 

 fore, in such cases, to mix both sand and peat or leaf-mould 

 liberally with the natural soil before planting. All may be in- 

 creased by division — some, such as reptans^ very freely by this 

 means, as every joint may be converted into a plant; and by 

 cuttings, in cases where larger increase is necessary than would 

 be quickly obtained by division. Cuttings are easily managed 

 in a cold frame or hand-glass, or even in the open ground in 

 sandy soil, in a shady sheltered comer. 



P. canadensis {Canadiafi P.) — A ver}' pretty plant, growing 

 more erect and to a greater height than those to be afterwards 

 described. It reaches the height of 9 inches or i foot, the 

 stems being somewhat downy, and clothed thinly with broadly- 

 lance- shaped leaves. The flowers are purplish lilac, in rather 

 compact panicles, appearing in April and May. The plant 

 might be made use of in spring bedding-out, but it is chiefly 

 valuable as a handsome subject for front lines of mixed 

 borders. 



P. frondosa {Fro?idose P.) — A very neat and compact pros- 

 trate plant, forming dark-green carpets of broadly-linear rather 

 blunt-pointed leaves. The flowers are pink, and appear in 

 April, May, and June ; and the whole plant does not exceed 6 

 inches high. Native of North America. 



P. reptans (Creepi?ig P.) — The handsomest, as it is also the 

 freest to grow and flower, of the prostrate Phloxes. It grows 

 about 6 inches high, spreading wide by means of its rooting 

 stems, and throws the trusses of beautiful reddish-purple flowers 

 slightly above the carpet of oval leaves. It labours under 

 several aliases — viz., P. verna and P. stolo7tifera, and is best 

 known in Scotland by the first of these. There is a variety 

 with thicker leaves, but othenvise differing little from the 

 normal state of the plant, to be met with occasionally doing 

 duty as a species under the name crassifolia. Native of North 

 America, 



P. setacea {Bi-istled P.) — A very charming lowly plant, more 

 suitable for rockwork than borders, unless the soil is light and 

 warm, but at the same time moist during summer. It forms 

 very dwarf tufts of matted branches, densely clothed with 

 bristle-like leaves. The flowers are small, in compact trusses, 

 and pale pink. There is a snow-white variety, which in nurseries 

 and private gardens is named P. 7iivalis ; it is a pretty but rare 



