494 XEW JERSEY AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE 



stem by the broad base. The flowers are man}-, in flat-topped clusters, 

 and under cultivation has run into a great variety of colors, from 

 Avhite to a ver}" dark red. 



Mr. Drunmiond, a maker of large botanical collections in the 

 Southern States, collected the seeds in Texas and sent them to Eng- 

 land in 1835. The species was described by "W. J. Hooker in the 

 Botanical Magazine, along with a picture of the same, and all under 

 the name of the American collector. 



Within the space of sixty-eight years the Drummond Phlox has 

 become one of the favorite garden ornamental plants, and Bailey* 

 writes : It "is of the easiest culture. This fact, together with the 

 profusion and long seasons of its bloom, is an important reason for 

 its popularity." 



This jflilox is a favorite in Europe, and Robinson + writes : "Xoth- 

 ing can exc-el its beauty and usefulness either as a border plant or 

 for furnishing cut flowers. Its colors are varied and brilliant, and 

 are not injured by bad weather like those of many other flowers. The 

 wonder is that it is not more generally and extensively grown in 

 gardens. It may be used in a variety of ways apart from border 

 decoratioii. Beds of standard roses carpeted with it are highly effec- 

 tive, and the fact that the plant does not in any way touch the growth 

 and well-being of the standard roses, the naked stems of which they 

 both hide and ornament, should in itself be a sufficient inducement 

 to plant this phlox especially for that purpose. It is also a very suit- 

 able plant for the emljellishment of rustic vases and boxes, but it is 

 when grown in masses that its beauty and diversity of color is seen 

 to the best advantage." 



It strikes freely from cuttings in autumn, and may thus give early 

 flowers in abundance indoors for winter decoration. 



With us this phlox is half hardy, and many seedlings from self- 

 sown seed have withstood the winter in the open field, where there 

 was no semblance of protection. During the coming winter a cover- 

 ing of dry cornstalks from the plots bearing sweet com will be used 

 over a portion of the area devoted to phloxes, and where an abundance 

 of volunteer seedlings Itave established themselves since the last 

 hoeing. 



In 1901 the variety known under the trade name of Phlox Driun- 

 mondii var. cuspidata was grown for purposes of crossing, and some 



* Cyclopedia of American Horticulture. 

 tThe English Flower Garden, 1889, page 601. 



