24 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



be mulched, and copious waterings with liquid manure will be very 

 beneficial. If a Phlox is well managed, it will be in its prime the 

 second year of its flowering. A good two-year-old plant will 

 generally start many shoots, but five or six only should be left to 

 go up for flowering. The spare shoots may be used for cuttings, 

 and make fine flowering plants for the next year. There cannot be 

 much done in arranging these Phloxes according to tiieir height; 

 in this (with two or three exceptions) there is very little difference. 

 Tbe first year they generally flower when about iifteen or eighteen 

 inches high ; but the same plants, in the second year, will grow 

 two or three feet. A continual succession of young plants should 

 be kept up by cuttings. Dividing the roots is a clumsy method of 

 increasing the stock, and plants obtained in this way seldom pro- 

 duce fine healthy foliage and good flowers. 



A Phlox should be thrown away when it gets over two years 

 old, and a young plant put in its place. Sometimes Phloxes may be 

 placed here and there in mixed borders or shrubberies, wliere they 

 help to make a garden gay and furnish a few cut flowers ; but the 

 spare plants only ought to be used for this purpose, as they never 

 under this treatment produce such fine flowers as when they have a 

 place to themselves. 



It is remarkable that the distinguished beauty of the Phlox does 

 not yet seem to be fully appreciated. It is now pretty generally 

 acknowledged that something is wanted to relieve the monotony of 

 the solid daubs of colour that are found in the flower-beds in the 

 public parks and in our best gardens. The Phlox, with its variety 

 of colours, and its distinct and elegant habit, seems to be one of the 

 very best and most eft'ectivc plants for the purpose. All shades of 

 colour such as purple, rose, salmon, crimson, white, scarlet, pink, 

 etc., areto be had ; some of the darker colours being particularly 

 rich and attractive. Round beds of good size — say eight, ten, or 

 twelve feet across — if managed upon the system of culture here 

 given, and the plants be prevented from seeding, will give a grand 

 display of bloom from July till September. Anyone who baa read 

 the foregoing remarks must be aware that the management of 

 the plant is simple ; and being quite hardy, its culture may be 

 carried out by those who have only scant accommodation for storing 

 plants in winter. 



The varieties of Phlox decussata are the best and hardiest, and 

 have been very much improved lately. There used to be some 

 pretty varieties of Phlox pyramidalis, but they are delicate, and, 

 with few exceptions, have given place to the former. 



Messes. SrTTo^■ and Sons offer for competition at tlie exliibitions of tlie Roy.al 

 Horticultural Society, to be lield in 1875, a series of silver and bronze inedals, in 

 addition to numerous money prizes, f^r vege!ableJ=, 



Dr. Hookek's Pat'ek ox Caumyorous Plants has been reproduced in a neat 

 pamphlet form, and Ireely distributed amongst members of the Jiterary world and 

 scientific societies. 



