February  24,  1898. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
various  degrees  of  purity ;  some  are  without  a  tinge,  others  are  ' 
almost  cream-coloured,  and  others,  again,  have  just  a  sufficient  tinge  * 
of  blush  to  give  them  warmth.  There  are  pinks,  roses,  scarlets, 
vermilions,  pale  purple,  deep  purple,  slaty  blue,  and  the  blue-purple  of 
one  named  Iris  is  the  nearest  approach  to  blue  in  the  florists’  Phloxes. 
These  shades  of  purple  and  blue  are  not  much  admired,  how^ever,  and 
do  not  gain  in  favour,  although  at  times  useful  on  the  exhibition 
stand.  There  are  also  striped  and  “eyed”  blooms.  The  latter  are 
more  appreciated  than  the  striped  varieties,  and  many  are  very  attrac¬ 
tive,  if  a  little  formal.  In  some  the  eyes  are  white  or  light  coloured 
with  a  dark  margin,  and  in  others  this  is  reversed,  the  eye  being 
darker  than  the  body  of  the  fioAver. 
There  are  tAvo  races  of  the  summer  and  autumn  floAvering  Phloxes. 
These  are  divided  into  early  and  late  floAvering  varieties.  The  former 
are  said  to  have  originated  from  P.  glaberrima  (P.g.  suffruticosa  of 
some),  and  the  latter  from  P.  paniculata  and  P.  maculata.  The  early 
floAA'ering  section  are  as  a  rule  dAvarfer,  and  have  not  reached  so 
advanced  a  stage  of  beauty  as  the  others,  hut  are  nevertheless  of  great 
merit. 
The  florists’  Phlox  is  of  much  value  in  the  garden.  Massed  in 
beds  or  borders  it  is  very  effective,  and  planted  in  the  mixed  border 
it  gives  much  beauty,  although  among  other  floAA-ers  its  sjrecial  wants 
cannot  he  so  well  supplied,  and  its  distinctive  charms  are  displayed  to  \ 
171 
exhibition  must  not  be  cut  much  liefore  going  into  the  stands,  but  if 
this  cannot  be  avoided  the  stems  should  be  deeply  immersed  in  Avater 
for  some  time. 
Ihe  Phlox  is  propagated  by  division  of  the  roots  either  in  spring  or 
autumn,  and  by  cuttings  taken  off  in  spring  or  summer.  Plants 
raised  from  cuttings  are  preferred  by  exhibitors  and  those  desiring 
more  vigorous  growth.  The  cuttings  may  be  inserted  in  frames  or  pots, 
and  will  root  more  rapidly  if  a  little  bottom  heat  is  at  command. 
Short  lengths  of  root  placed  in  pots  of  light  soil  in  winter  will  also 
grow,  and  in  the  case  of  scarce  varieties  leaves  with  a  bud  in  the  axil 
of  the  stem  are  sometimes  used  as  a  means  of  propagation.  Young 
plants  of  small  size  ought  to  be  kept  in  a  frame  during  winter.  New 
varieties  arc  obtained  from  seeds  sown  as  soon  as  ripe,  or  in  spring. 
These  should  not  he  sown  in  heat,  but  in  the  open  ground  or  a  cold 
frame.  ’The  seedlings  appear  very  irregularly,  and  some  only  after  a 
considerable  time. 
'I  he  question  of  the  retention  of  old  plants  is  one  Avhich  has  been 
much  debated.  A  plant  Avhich  is  in  good  soil  and  receives  regular 
attention  in  the  Avay  of  mulcliing,  surface  dressing  and  watering  in 
summer,  will  last  in  good  condition  for  several  years  if  the  stems  are 
thinned  out.  iMany,  however,  i)refer  to  raise  young  plants  every  two 
or  three  years,  and  there  is  little  doubt  that  this  method  gives  very 
satisfactory  results. 
ROAD 
Fig.  25.— The  Dot  and  Caraing  System. 
Fig.  26. — The  Laavn  in  its  Beauty. 
an  inferior  degree.  It  requires  rich  feeding  and  some  attention  to 
enable  it  to  develop  its  beauty  to  the  fullest  extent.  Beds  on  the 
grass  or  in  front  of  shrubberies  are  pleasing  features  of  many  gardens. 
To  do  it  justice  the  Phlox  must  be  well  grown.  There  is  little 
hope  of  full  success  Avith  it  or  other  florists’  doAvers  unless  its  require¬ 
ments  are  carefully  attended  to.  This  is  due  to  no  AA^ant  of  hardiness, 
but  is  simply  because  the  points  we  have  developed  require  good 
treatment  to  bring  them  to  their  highest  stage  of  beauty.  The  first 
essential  is  a  good  and  rather  heavy  soil.  It  Avill  grow  in  poorer  soil, 
but  something  more  than  mere  existence  is  needed  if  we  wish  to  have 
this  fine  flower  in  jierfection.  The  good  soil  at  command,  it  must  be 
properly  prepared  by  bastard  trenching,  and  the  incorporation  of  an 
ample  quantity  of  animal  manure.  Nothing  equals  horse  or  cow 
dung,  which  to  use  depending  upon  the  soil,  light  soil  requiring  the 
latter.  It  ought,  as  a  matter  of  course,  to  be  Avell  decayed.  In  the 
beds  thus  prepared  the  plants  may  be  planted  in  IMarch  or  April,  the 
surface  being  afterwards  mulched  with  similar  manure.  They  should 
never  be  allowed  to  suffer  by  Avant  of  Avater,  and  in  order  to  give 
greater  vigour  a  little  of  some  of  the  standard  artificial  manures  may 
also  be  applied  Avith  the  Avater,  only  the  (quantity  recommended  on 
the  package  being  used. 
If  groAAm  for  exhibition  purposes.  Phloxes  should  only  be  alloAved 
to  make  two  or  three  stems,  the  others  being  thinned  out.  This  will 
be  found  to  give  larger  si)ikes  and  finer  flowers,  besides  giving  the 
former  more  room  to  develop.  To  prevent  injury  to  the  spikes  each 
stem  ought  to  be  firmly  tied  to  a  light  stake.  In  Avet  and  stormy 
AA'eather  protection  should  be  afforded  to  the  tloAvers.  The  best 
method  is  by  means  of  three  stakes  or  stout  Avires  fixed  in  the  form  of 
a  tripod.  A  frame  of  Avirework  covered  Avith  canvas  is  placed  over 
the  top  of  this  at  night,  or  Avhen  protection  is  required.  Phloxes  for 
The  selection  of  a  list  of  the  best  Phloxes  is  a  task  of  great 
difficulty,  and  that  noAv  submitted  makes  no  pretensions  to  including 
all  the  best.  It  is  merely  a  selection  of  varieties  of  high  merit  which 
will  give  satisfaction  if  properly  cultivated. 
It  is  to  be  hoped  that  our  British  seedling  raisers  will  again  take 
up  in  earnest  the  improvement  of  the  Phlox.  It  is  not  yet  perfect, 
and  the  Avriter  has  within  the  last  year  or  two  seen  some  seedlings  oi 
great  beauty  raised  in  a  private  garden  from  flowers  of  the  highest 
quality.  Some  of  these  will  probably  find  their  Avay  into  the  hands 
of  the  trade,  and  one  named  “John  Maxwell,”  in  honour  of  a  Avorthy 
friend  of  the  writer’s  and  a  true  florist,  will  compare  favourably  Avith 
any  as  yet  before  the  public.  In  the  following  selection  an  old  Phlox 
(Coccinea)  is  included.  For  bedding  it  is  difficult  to  surpass,  although 
inferior  in  size  of  pip  to  the  newer  varieties. 
Selection  of  Phloxes. 
Early  Flowering  Varieties. — Charles  Downie,  rose,  crimson  eye; 
•James  Thompson,  deep  rose  ;  King  of  Purples,  purple;  Lady  Halli¬ 
burton,  AA'liite;  Lady  Napier,  white;  l\Iarquis,  rose,  crimson  eye; 
Mrs.  J.  Hope,  Avhite,  crimson  eye;  Purple  Emperor,  light  purple; 
the  Marquis  of  Huntley,  veined  rose ;  and  White  Swan,  white. 
Late  Flowering  Varieties.  —Amazon,  pure  white ;  Aurore,  orange 
scarlet;  Bayadere,  pure  white ;  Coccinea,  crimson;  Coeur  de  Lyon, 
lilac;  Corneville,  dark  wine  colour;  Diadem,  Avhite ;  Eclatant,  rose, 
crimson  eye ;  Eugene  Danzanvilliers,  lilac,  white  eye ;  Eugdne  Scholt, 
rose,  white  eye ;  Ilenri  Miirger,  Avhite,  rose  centre ;  John  Forbes,  pink, 
crimson  eye ;  Madame  Antoine  Denis,  blush,  crimson  eye ;  Mrs. 
Kinghorn,  salmon  rose  ;  Pantheon,  salmon,  white  eye  ;  Kegulus,  rose- 
salmon,  white  eye;  Roxelane,  deep  carmine;  Sheriff  Ivory,  salmon ; 
Sylphide,  Avhite ;  and  Tourbillon,  crimson,  white  eye. — S.  Arnott. 
