170 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



valuable for situations where the strong-growing G. papyrus would 

 not be admissible. 



The stately Dalilia Imperialis, if taken up in a careful manner, 

 and potted some time about the end of September, and then placed 

 in a warm greenhouse, will flower superbly until Christmas, and 

 present a fine appearance in conjunction with the Chrysanthemum. 



ASTEES FOE CONSEEVATOEY DECOEATION. 



BY THOMAS TETJSSLEE, 



Head Gardener, High Leigh, Hoddesdon, Herts. 



EFOEE the season is too far advanced I am anxious to 

 say a word about the cultivation of asters in pots for 

 conservatory decoration. It is true it is well to furnish 

 the conservatory during the summer and autumn with 

 plants as different as possible from those in the flower 

 garden, yet a few asters in pots when well grown present such a 

 cheerful appearance that no reasonable objection can be made to 

 their introduction into the conservatory in moderate numbers. 

 These remarks would perhaps have been more useful a month since, 

 but there is yet time to rise a stock of plants if the seed is sown 

 without delay, as the asters are not really wanted in the conservatory 

 until quite the end of the season. 



It is not desirable to weary the reader with directions for sowing 

 seed, pricking off, and other details, because the merest tyro will 

 have some knowledge of these matters. It is, however, necessary 

 to state that the plants must not be allowed to remain in the seed- 

 pans until they are nearly spoilt before they are pricked off. Pro- 

 bably the best plan for dealing with both stocks and asters is to sow 

 the seed in drills in a cold frame, and then it is not necessary to 

 disturb the plants until they have acquired sufficient strength to 

 bear handling without injury. The object of these remarks is not 

 so much for the purpose of giving directions for raising the seed, as 

 it is to suggest the desirability of putting a few of those not required 

 for the flower garden into pots instead of throwing them away. 



Asters, whether planted out, or grown in pots, require a 

 moderately rich soil to do them justice. The compost in which they 

 will succeed best when in pots is turfy loam and decayed manure 

 from an old hotbed, prepared by mixing three parts of the former to 

 one of the latter. Eive or six inch pots are very suitable sizes in 

 which to grow them, and two or three plants should be put in each. 

 In preparing the pots place three or four moderate-sized crocks in 

 the bottom, then fill with the prepared soil, and prick out the plants 

 at equal distances apart round the outside. Each pot should be 

 filled with plants that will produce flowers of the same colour, other- 

 wise the effect will be far from satisfactory when they are in bloom. 

 After they are all pricked off plunge them in a bed of leaf-mould, 

 or partly decayed manure in the borders. In either case the pots 



