ON PHLOXES 289 



ferent names, such as cuspidata (from cuspidate, pointed) ; 

 fimbriata (fringed) ; florepleno (double); grandifloraQaxgz- 

 flowered) ; and nana compacta (dwarf compact). We are 

 not yet at the end of these novelties in Annual Phloxes. 

 The modern selections are very beautiful, and have had 

 much to do with the exclusion of Verbenas from 

 gardens. They do nearly all that Verbenas can do 

 except yield fragrance, and are easier to manage. The 

 colours are varied and beautiful, and the wetter the 

 season the more abundant and beautiful the flowers 

 are. 



Mention of one or two good species of Phloxes 

 may conclude my description of the genus, and I can 

 proceed to culture and selections of varieties. Divaricata, 

 a spring bloomer with lilac flowers, growing about a 

 foot high, is a very pretty Phlox, and has charming 

 forms in canadensis, blue ; and alba, white. It is illus- 

 trated in the Botanical, Magazine, t. 163. Ovata (triflord) 

 illustrated in the Botanical Magazine, t. 528, has red 

 flowers, and grows a foot high or a little more. Reptans 

 is a creeper with violet flowers. Verna has pink flowers, 

 and grows about six inches high. There are several 

 other species, but these are the only ones that are 

 grown to any extent, and they are all fairly popular. 

 They are spring bloomers, suitable for the front of 

 herbaceous borders or rockwork. 



Propagation. The Phloxes are easy plants to increase. 

 The annuals are raised from seed in spring in the 

 same way as Asters (see Chapter II.), but they may also 

 be propagated by cuttings in autumn, the Phloxes being 

 one of the few annuals which can be propagated in this 

 way. The plan is only desirable when plants are wanted 

 for pot culture, to bloom in spring. When they are 

 required for garden use propagation in autumn, which 



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