136 



HORTICULTURE 



August 14, 1920 



"aim 



RAMBLING OBSERVATIONS OF 

 A ROVING GARDENER 



I am pleased to learn that many 

 gardeners are growing a greater 

 variety of asters. Some of the newer 

 single asters in delicate colors have 

 much to commend and are especially 

 useful for cutting. The Aster South- 

 cote Beauty representing a ne^v race 

 has become exceedingly popular 

 across the water and is being grown to 

 some extent here. This type, with 

 long, perfectly formed petals and 

 small golden yellow centers is orna- 

 mental wherever used, and it has long 

 stiff stems often from 12 to 20 inches 

 in length. There are some very deli- 

 cate and wonderful shades of blue and 

 pink, as well as pure white. 



So far this year 1 have not seen 

 many very good asters. Possibly the 

 weather has not been conducive to the 

 growing of these flowers and better re- 

 sults may be expected a little later. 1 

 am sure that the aster remains in as 

 high favor as ever and that many cut 

 blooms will be seen at the fall shows. 



The Massachusetts Horticultural 

 Society has already issued prelimin- 

 ary schedules of prizes for the great 

 exhibition of roses and other plants 

 to be held next April. This show 

 promises to be an event not sui 

 passed by any ever held at Horticul- 

 tural Hall. There will be beautiful 

 rose gardens with displays of rose 

 plants, and appropriate accessories. 



Artistic arrangement and general -jf- 

 lect will be considered in making 

 awards, of which there will be two, 

 one of a thousand dollars and one of 

 live hundred dollars. An arbor ar- 

 rangement of climbing roses will 

 briuK awards of one hundred dollars 

 and fifty dollars. An arch arr.mge- 

 ment of climbing roses provides an- 

 other competition, with prizes of sev- 

 enty-five and forty dollars. All the 

 other awards for roses are worth 

 striving for. Besides the roses, there 

 will be a great display of orchids, the 

 awards including a special prize of a 

 silver cup valued at five hundred dol- 

 lars and offered by Albert C. Burrage. 



I think there never has been a sea- 

 son when the hollyhocks have bloomed 

 more gorgeously. Unfortunately they 

 are beginning to show the bad effects 

 of rust, probably as a result of weather 

 conditions. It seems impossible to con- 

 trol this trouble, once it gets a foot- 

 hold, although it helps much to grow 

 the plants in new ground and to start 



Ast^r Soutlicote Beauty 



