ever, in clusters.
The leaves are large, cordate, downy, and soft to the touch, having long
stout stems; they vary much in size, from 3in. to more than a foot
across, according to the nature of the soil.

The usefulness of this plant consists entirely in its flowers as cut
bloom, the least bit of which fills a large room with its most agreeable
perfume. The plant, therefore, need not be grown in the more ornamental
parts of the garden, and it should have a space exclusively allotted to
it. It runs widely underground, and soon fills a large space. It enjoys
moisture, but I have proved it to be more productive of bloom with
leaves of half their usual size when planted in a rather dry situation
with light but good soil. Usually a root does not produce flowers until
two years after it has been planted. Poor as the flowers otherwise are,
they are of great value in winter, when finely-scented kinds are scarce.
They may be mixed with more beautiful forms and colours so as not to be
seen, when, like violets in the hedgerow, they will exhale their
grateful odour from a position of modest concealment.

Flowering period, November to February.

Phlox.

HYBRID TALL VARIETIES; SUB-SECTIONS, SUFFRUTICOSA _and_
DECUSSATA (EARLY _and_ LATE FLOWERING); _Nat. Ord._
POLEMONIACEAE.

These noble flowers are not only beautiful as individuals, but the
cheerful appearance of our gardens during the autumn is much indebted
to them; the great variety in colour and shade is as remarkable as it is
effective. The finer sorts are known as "florists' flowers," being
named. Whence they came (from which species) is not so clear, but in
other respects than form and habit they are much in the way of _P.
paniculata_. The Phlox family is a numerous one, and the species are not
only numerous but extremely dissimilar, consisting of the dwarf woody
trailers, or _P. procumbens_ section, the oval-leafed section (_P.
ovata_), the creeping or stolon-rooted (_P. stolonifera_) section, and
the one now under notice, which differs so widely that many have seemed
puzzled that these bold tall plants are so closely related to the
prostrate, Whin-like species. The sub-divisions of the section under
notice, viz., early and late flowering varieties, in all other respects
except flowering period are similar, and any remarks of a cultural
nature are alike applicable. This favourite part of the Phlox family is
honoured with a specific name, viz., _P. omniflora_ (a