1868 . j 
ON PHLOXES. 
39 
I prefer to grow them in beds about 40 inches wide, planted in three 
rows; the Suffmticosa or early bloomers, and the Decussata or late 
bloomers, each by themselves. The principal care needed is not to plant 
them in manure, unless it be very old, in fact, reduced almost to soil, and 
then they should have a good portion of coarse sand. They do well in 
sandy loam, with a little leaf mould, wood ashes, and sand, and top- 
dressed with manure, or provided with plenty of liquid manure during dry 
weather. They are very appropriate for shrubbery decoration. 
When they are wanted for exhibition purposes, care must be taken not 
to have more than three or four stems to each plant; if there are more the 
-weaker ones must be cut away early, and, should propagation be desired, 
these will strike freely under a hand-glass or small frame. Cuttings from 
the earlier kinds, struck in May, make fine specimen spikes or trusses in 
September or October, if attended to, and planted out in a nicely prepared 
bed as soon as struck, shading them a little from extreme heat. Many 
persons attempt to grow them in greenhouses; but in such situations they 
are apt to become drawn, and never look so healthy and fine, or develope 
their colours so well as those grown outside. They have not many enemies, 
except rabbits and snails, which can be guarded against. 
Those who wish to raise new varieties may do so by saving seed—which, 
however, is rather difficult to collect, and does not germinate freely unless a 
little bottom heat can be given to it. It should be sown in flat boxes, or seed 
pans, in January or February, slightly covered with sand, and kept mode¬ 
rately damp. As soon as the plants make four leaves they may be potted 
into small pots and kept in a frame, giving plenty of air during the day, 
until the latter end of May, when they may be planted out on a nicely 
prepared bed. They will most of them bloom in October, when the best and 
most improved varieties must be selected. A more general mode of pro¬ 
pagation is to divide the roots. It is as well to do this immediately after 
they have done blooming. Some growers recommend dividing them with 
the spade ; but this is wrong. They should be divided very carefully, care 
being also taken to see that none of the old stool adheres to the plant, but 
only the new fibre, and that they are as little injured as possible during 
the operation. These instructions will, I should hope, be sufficient; and 
as good varieties may now be had at from 4s. to 6s. per doz., no one need 
be without them long who has any particular desire for them. 
In conclusion, I will give the names of a few of the best in each class 
for exhibition purposes. The late sorts generally possess the finest colours, 
though they are not so large as the others. 
Early Bloomers. —Atlas, Addisonii, Duchess of Hamilton, Her Majesty, Lady Halli¬ 
burton, John Bayley, Magnifica, Mrs. K. Howat, MissOgilvie, Miss Simpson, Miss Spedding, 
Mrs. Campbell,‘ Mrs. Mitchell, Mrs. McGregor, Mrs. Scott, Mrs. McCall, Rosy Morn, 
W. W. Platt. 
