PHLOXES 387 



R SUBULATA (awl-shaped). Moss Pink. Stems densely tufted. 

 Leaves awl-shaped, fringed. Flowers pink with darker centre ; corolla- 

 lobes wedge-shaped, notched; April. Introduced from United States 

 1786. Plate 184. 



Garden Varieties Garden Phloxes are grouped in three classes, of which 

 and Hybrida. the first are the annuals, P. Drummondii and its varieties. 

 The others are perennials, mostly hybrids, and these are distinguished as 

 Early-flowering Phloxes and Late-flowering Phloxes. The Early-flowering 

 (or Sufruticosa) are the progeny of P. glaherimtTia, and the Late-flowering 

 (or Decussata) are hybrids chiefly between various forms of P. nuicidata 

 and P. ijanicidata. New varieties of these are put on the market in con- 

 siderable numbers every year, and the old ones are elbowed aside or 

 reintroduced under new names. It therefore appears unnecessary to 

 give lists when the most recent florists' catalogues will supply the current 

 names of all the good sorts. 



For mixed borders and the front of shrubberies the 

 hardy perennial Phloxes are most desirable. Their colours 

 are very bright and pleasing, and a bed filled entirely with them has a 

 very fine effect. They succeed in most well-drained soils that are not 

 too dry. They like sunshine. P. Drummondii and its varieties 

 should be grown in a rich soil, which should be mulched with manure in 

 summer, and they should have plenty of water. They are raised from 

 seeds sown in March, in pans or boxes, and started in gentle heat. The 

 seedlings should be pricked out into boxes and placed in frames. Some 

 time in May, according to outside temperature, they should be gi-adually 

 hardened by raising the lights, and afterwards planted out. To get nice 

 bushy and compact plants the growing points are nipped out as soon as 

 they are three inches high. Seeds of the perennials should be sown as soon 

 as ripe, in pans of sandy loam, and kept in the greenhouse during the 

 winter. The plants will not appear until early spring, and after growing 

 on and gradually hardening, these will be ready to plant out in May. 

 They do not as a rule flower well, if at all, the first season. From plants 

 so grown the stock may be increased by dividing the roots in following 

 springs. Although in ordinary seasons these plants do well in most 

 soils, yet in a dry summer there ' is danger, where the soil is light, of 

 their pei-ishing ; they should therefore be given a rich deep soil if possible, 

 be mulched in summer, and given water abundantly at intervals. 



P. subulata and other dwarf species do not produce seed freely, and 

 are chiefly propagated by means of cuttings and divisions. The cuttings 

 are taken about midsummer, and struck under glass in the shade. For 

 division of the old plants a good plan is to sift some light soil over the 



