State fair. 359 



The tiers of shelves on either side of the hall flanking- the fruit ex- 

 hibit were well filled by a fine show of decorative and flowering- 

 plants from the greenhouses of Wessling- & Hartman, John Vasatka 

 and E. Nagel & Co., all well known Minneapolis florists. 



Taken as a whole the half of the hall devoted to pomology and 

 floriculture was a very attractive sight, and one lady who saw the 

 horticultural exhibit at the World's Fair and this exhibit from the 

 same point of view, that is, the balcony in our booth, declared that 

 our hall was more attractive than the horticultural hall at the 

 World's Fair. The exhibit was hig-hly complimented in all direc- 

 tions, and was one of which our society may be justly proud. 



The amount distributed among the fruit growers for premiums 

 was about $650, and for flowers about $250. 



It was the intention to publish a full list of the premiums award- 

 ed, but press of work at the State Fair office must postpone its 

 preparation for the November number. 



A list of the total of the awards to exhibitors in this department 

 here follows: 



Casper W. Ayers $1.00 A.W.Latham 57.00 



Mrs. Belle Barton 36.0'J O. M. Lord 14.50 



Wm. Brimnell 150 Chas. Leudloff 29.50 



A. A. Bost 8.50 Mrs. Wm. Lyons 18.00 



Mrs. A. S. Babcock 12.00 Geo. Miller 23.00 



Sidney Corp 31.50 E. Nagel & Co 104.00 



Dewain Cook 11.00 Wm. Oxford 31.00 



H.L.Crane 22.50 W.L.Parker 21.00 



L.E.Day 13.50 Wm. Somerville 40.00 



Ditus Day 22.50 Alfred Sherlock 11.00 



E. H. S. Dart 31.50 John Vasatka 59.00 



M. M. Frisselle 2.00 R. Wessling 77.00 



F.G.Gould 19.50 Clarence Wedge 8.50 



John S. Harris 74.00 W. S. Widmoyer 2.00 



R. C. Keel 8(5.00 



Rudolph Knapheide 28.00 Total $906.00 



The Aster.— Perhaps, there is no flower that blooms from seed 

 the first season and then dies that has received more care in its 

 selection and cultivation than the aster. It is the special pet of the 

 Germans, who have brought it to such perfection that from the best 

 seed we very seldom get a semi-double flower. They have dwarfed 

 it so that its blossoms lie flat on the g-round, while other varieties 

 grow two or three feet tall. Some have single stems, others are 

 bunched like a tree; some varieties grow stocky and even withstand 

 the wind without tying, like the Victoria and Rose. 



Some of the pompone varieties are small, no larger than one's 

 thumb; while others, like the Washington, are three or four inches 

 across. They have made the petals quilled, twisted and flat, curling 

 up and down; they have produced spotted flowers, like the Harle- 

 quin, while in the crown aster, with large double flowers of all 

 colors, the center of each is pure white. We get the Paeony Perfec- 

 tion in twenty-four different colors. There are thirty-six or more 

 distinct varieties of asters, and each variety has from four to twenty- 

 four distinct colors that can be bought separate. What a beautiful 

 sight when in bloom to see all these kinds and colors growing in a 

 field! The aster is especially distinguished from some of our coarse 

 growing flowers by its slender wiry stem, giving in a boquet or vase 

 that graceful appearance that charms the flower lover's heart. It is 

 also a beautiful flower for making designs. — Amateur Gardening. 



