There was a time, and that not very long ago, when the Phlox was scarcely recognised as a florists' flower, but now it holds a deservedly high place in the list. Besides great beauty, it has other desirable qualities. It is hardy and easily propagated; it continues long in bloom, and may be made very effective in a border. By using both the early and late flowering varieties, bloom may be had from, the end of June till far on in September. In the present paper my object will be to show how to grow the Phlox for competition, which, of course, is to bring out its best qualities. It must be understood that I write as an amateur cultivator for amateurs, and that the plan of cultivation which I give is not put forward as the only one by which success may be reached, but simply as one which I have proved to be good, or seen others successfully practise. The experience of an amateur may be of use to many a brother amateur with boundless love for his floral beauties, but wanting skill to make them display all their charms to him. I sometimes wonder that amateurs do not give their experiences oftener than they do.

I recollect my own difficulties when I began to grow flowers, and more especially when I began to measure my strength with others on the exhibition table; and if any information which I can give will help a brother, I shall indeed be glad to impart it.

Like most florists' flowers, the Phlox is best grown in beds, so that all the plants may have the same treatment and attention in the most handy way. Any light garden-soil of fair quality will suit them. It is said that they grow best when there is peat in the soil. On this point I can give no opinion, but I know that they will grow very well without it. To make a good beginning, prepare the beds about the middle of March, or it may be later, by digging in a very liberal quantity of well-rotted manure, and breaking up the soil thoroughly. To do the Phlox justice, the plants must have room. Plant them, therefore, 15 inches apart each way. As the young plants destined for the beds will likely have commenced their growth in a frame, or will have been newly bought from the nurseryman, they will require the protection of pots for a short time after planting out, or they will suffer from the keen winds of spring. Give them early in their growth the support of neat stakes, so that their great enemy the wind may not injure them. Yet it sometimes happens, notwithstanding the greatest care, the wind will whip the top off a shoot as clean as if it were cut with a knife.

Snails are very fond of the young shoots, and will do much damage if a close watch is not kept upon them for a time.

That the Phlox is a greedy and exhaustive feeder, is shown by its hundreds of rootlets matted closely together. It has also a trick of pushing its roots above ground, and to supply these, each plant may be mulched with a quantity of good manure sprinkled with earth. The Phlox likes water, and in a dry time will take a good soaking every two or three days. If the young plants are strong, good spikes may be got the first year, but it is during the second season that the strength and glory of the Phlox will appear. The bed may either be again manured and dug in the spring, letting the plants remain in their places; or, if the circumstances of the garden will permit, the plants may be carefully lifted and planted in another bed prepared as at first; or, if room is not available, the plants may be lifted and put aside till the same bed is thoroughly dug and manured, and then replaced. If done early, lifting does them no injury, nor, as far as I have seen, does it retard their growth. When the stems are about 4 or 5 inches long, and number more than five or six, thin them out to these numbers, or fewer according to circumstances, and, with the treatment recommended, the result will be satisfactory.

I have seen on a very strong plant as many as eight magnificent heads, but this is an exceptional number with the competitor. By growing two or three beds of Phloxes, and renewing one every year, the competitor ought to be able to hold his own honourably at any exhibition. As the day of show draws near, the competitor must prepare to shade his beauties from the sunshine in order to keep their colours pure. If the flowers are rather forward they will require a fortnight's shading, otherwise a week will do. The whole bed, or only the spikes selected for competition, may be shaded. The best substance for this purpose is scrim, which subdues the glare of the sun without causing a very dark shadow. The amateur, who generally is a man fertile in resources, must apply his own ingenuity in the erection of the shade. When placed side by side on the table, the difference between a shaded and unshaded Phlox is seen at once in the purity of the colours and the greater gloss on the surface of the flowers. The spikes should be cut the night before the show, and put in bottles amongst water; and notwithstanding the objections of some persons, I maintain that Phloxes cannot be better shown than in bottles.

They may be ornamented or disguised in any way, but there is nothing equal to them for keeping Phloxes fresh and bright till the end of the show. Before staging, pick off any decayed pips that would make the spike look ragged; and to show their beauty fairly, let them have room on the table.

Phloxes crowded in a small stand or stuck round the edge of a pot full of sand look very miserable, and the chance is they will flag in an hour. In judging Phloxes, shape and size of spike, and the fineness of the individual flowers, are looked to. The more conical and compact the head is, the better, but this condition cannot be got equally good in all. The individual flowers must be circular and flat, clear and clean in colour, and with a distinct eye, if the variety has one. The larger the pip, if it is firm and does not fall back, the greater the value; but if the flower is thin and falls back in any degree, the spike should not make one in a stand. In late-flowering Phloxes, the criterion is somewhat different as regards shape, the head being less conical and flatter than in the early-flowering kinds. In other respects the points are the same. There are hosts of very beautiful Phloxes in cultivation, but all are not equally fitted for exhibition. From personal acquaintance, I can recommend the following as a few most excellent showflowers, and though they are not the newest varieties, they have qualities which will enable them to hold their own against any comers at an exhibition: Early-flowering - Clio, Miss Stirling, Miss Charlotte Duncan, Lady Ross, Lady Sinclair, Purple Prince, Captain Speke, Miss E. Spedding, Mrs K. Howat, Her Majesty, Miss Lindsay, and Mrs M'Gregor. Late-flowering: R. B. Laird, Edith, Souvenir de Soultzmatt, Liervalli, Madame de Wendel, Countess of Breadalbane, Madame A. Verschaffelt, and Mons. Delamare. With good cultivation all these varieties can be grown very large.

Clio, for instance, may be grown with a compact head 15 inches long and 11 inches across at the base. Miss Stirling also may be grown very large, though the head wants the closeness of that of Clio. Lady Ross has also a splendid head and brilliant colour. Phlox-growers will be pleased to know that several of the Edinburgh nurserymen have of late been devoting much attention to crossing this flower, and by-and-by we may expect valuable additions to our present beauties.

Phloxes are easily propagated by cuttings, which do not require to be cut over by a joint, as the stem sends out roots at all points. Cuttings will strike at almost any time throughout the season. Those who do not wish to be troubled with early striking may wait till September, and then take off stems rooted and ready, keeping them in pots all winter. John Morris.

Mains, near Dundee.

[Many thanks for this communication. It is such experiences as these that we mostly require. We sincerely hope our correspondent will not forget to render us his valuable aid in the time to come. - Eds].