September, 1916 
17 
through the snow and ice and slush of 
winter. After this rough treatment, they 
spring into life at the earliest possible 
moment and thrive exceedingly. 
Do not expect seeds of the perennial phlox, 
however, to furnish you with anything save 
a collection totally unlike every other col¬ 
lection in the world; for phlox hybridizes 
so easily that no variety ever reproduces 
itself in its seed. Continually it “sports,” 
and there is no telling what you may or may 
not get from the seed of any plant. Cuttings 
instead of seed are therefore the usual 
means of furnishing increase; but seedlings 
are no end of fun, if one wants to venture. 
Plants coming from the nursery at this 
time should be planted in well enriched and 
very well worked soil, that is not too heavy 
and sticky. If there is one thing phlox will 
not stand it is heavy clay, sticky and im¬ 
penetrable. After they are set out, mulch 
them evenly at once with about 1" of leaves 
or strawy manure. As soon as the ground 
freezes, add to this cover enough to make 
it from 6" to 8" thick, and put branches on 
it to hold it securely in place against the 
disturbance of the winter gales. 
This deepened mulch is to keep the ground 
frozen, not to protect the plants. If the 
ground thaws after freezing to any depth, 
it will heave the newly set plants up and 
out completely, for their roots will not have 
had a chance to take hold sufficiently to 
anchor them. Under no circumstances must 
this mulch be overlooked, therefore; and it 
must surely be applied as soon as, and while, 
the ground is frozen. Sometimes even an 
hour’s delay after a hard freeze is too long. 
Do not wait at all! Get the mulch on the 
(Continued on page 60) 
Miss Lingard is one of the best and earliest 
flowering sorts, its white blossoms sometimes 
opening in late May 
iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiitiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimm 
THE RETURN OF THE TRAY 
Why returnBecause 
we are beginning to 
appreciate the decor¬ 
at iv e possibilities 
that our g r and - 
mothers’ trays pos¬ 
sessed. For informa¬ 
tion write House & 
Garden, 440 Fourth 
Avenue. New York 
City 
And then there is the 
old English silver rose 
tray, made about 1780, 
with trenches around 
the edge in which to lay 
the roses 
Executed in the Chinese taste with 
black background and gold lacquer 
decorations, this tray is typical of 
the finer sorts coming into vogue 
The background of the rim is black 
with vari-colored flower and fruit 
decorations laid on with naive cru¬ 
dity. The central panel is buff 
Gilt and polychrome 
decorations cover the 
edge and in the center 
is a portrait panel on a 
black background 
From China our sea 
captain ancestors 
brought engraved pew¬ 
ter trays, of which this 
is a fine example 
Among others is an old 
tray of American make 
decorated in the ancient 
fashion from the origi¬ 
nal design 
Even the humble bread 
tray was decorated—in 
gold and colored lacquer 
landscape effect on a 
black background 
