124 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



then flower freely for the remainder of the season. None of the old 

 varieties, such as speciosa and gracilis, are now worth growing, 

 because better can be had. The very dwarf sorts, such as the pumila 

 section, are exquisitely beautiful, forming dense cushions solid with 

 bloom of the most pure and brilliant colours. The most useful of 

 them — Grandiflora, deep blue; A zurea, .light blue ; and Annie, lilac. 

 The following are also first-rate for various purposes in the parterre, 

 and also making charming pot-plants : — Indigo Blue, intense deep 

 indigo blue j Spectabilis, deep cobalt blue ; Trentham Blue, clear blue, 

 white eye ; and Mauve Queen, rosy lilac. 



THE GERMAN ASTER— ITS CULTURE FOR EXHIBITION. 



HE great cause of failure often arises from the seed being 

 sown too early, so that the plants begin to flower in the 

 long days imperfectly, and by September they are too 

 far speut to produce line blooms in their proper season. 

 The best time for sowing is some time between the 

 26th of April and the 14th of May. The seed should be sown in a 

 cold frame under glass, in drills six inches apart, and not too thick 

 in the drills, say the first week in May ; the plants come up in a few 

 days, when they must have plenty of air ; and as soon as they are 

 about an inch high, take the glass quite off for two or three days, 

 and then prick them out on a slight hot-bed three or four inches 

 apart ; here they will take root in a day or two without shade or 

 glass. Before the plants begin to run up in the stem, plant them 

 out where they are to stand for blooming, in well-manured soil, 

 being careful to remove them with as much mould attached to the 

 roots as possible ; let the rows be one foot apart and the plants ten 

 inches or a foot apart in the rows. If the weather is dry, they must 

 be watered, until they take root ; afterwards keep clean from weeds, 

 stir between the plants, and about the first week in August, top- 

 dress with rotten dung from an old Hot-bed (the one on which the 

 young plants were pricked out will be in good state if well beaten 

 up), aud give a good soaking of water over all if the soil is dry. 

 The plants will now require to be tied to small stakes, and as soon 

 as it can be seen which buds are likely to make good blooms, thin 

 them out, leaving only three or four to a plant. It will be necessary 

 to protect such blooms intended for exhibition from wet, or friction 

 from the wind. 



