THE HOME FLORIST. 39 



pact habit, nine inches in height, producing flowers three to four inches across. A. Cocardeau, 

 or New Crown, a fine flower; very double; the central petals being pure white, sometimes 

 small and quilled; sports occasionally; eighteen inches. A. German, Pyramidal-flowered, 

 late, branching, good habit ; needs no tying. A. German, Quilled, desirable on account of the 

 quilled appearance of the flowers; about three feet high. A. Hedge Hog, or Needle, petals long, 

 quilled and sharply pointed, very curious and fine; two feet. A. La Superbe, large flowering 

 class, often more than four inches in diameter, twenty inches in height. A. Pceony -flowered 

 perfection, Truffaufs Newest, one of the best ; very large, beautiful flowers ; petals long and a little 

 reflexed ; two feet. A. Pearl, this is entitled to be called a gem among Asters ; is of dwarf, 

 compact, bushy habit, not above fifteen inches in height, closely set with beautiful imbricated, 

 double, globular flowers of good colors. A. Rose, Improved, a valuable class of Asters, pro- 

 ducing very double and large flowers. The blood-red color of this variety is the darkest and 

 most brilliant of all Asters; two feet. A. Victoria, flowers very double, imbricated, globular 

 and large; the plant is very robust, about two feet in height and branching. A. Victoria, 

 Dwarf, only one foot in height, but very rich flowering, with flowers three to four inches across. 

 A. Emperor, Giant, very brilliant and beautiful colors, flowers double and of immense size, 

 often four inches in diameter; two feet. 



ASTILBE JAPONICA SPIREA JAPONICA (Hardy Herbaceous Perennial). 

 One of the most beautiful of all hardy plants. It blooms the forepart of summer, in upright 

 spikes of pure white, delicately -formed flowers ; the foliage is of compound digitate form, and 

 exceedingly attractive, being also of a deep, uniform green color ; height of plant, one and a 

 half to two feet. By potting the Astilbe at the approach of winter, it may be taken into the 

 dwelling or conservatory, and forced into bloom, by which means it becomes very attractive, and 

 thrives readily. 



AZALEA (Greenhouse Shrubby Perennial, 32, 50, 70). 



Plants of high value for window and conservatory decoration, being covered with one blaze 

 of beauty in the spring months, and continuing to increase in splendor and the profusion of 

 flowers with each year's growth. In summer they may be moved to the open air, and the pots 

 plunged to the rims in soil in some shady place, such as against a fence or building, until 

 September, when they should be taken, for the winter, either into the conservatory direct, or cellar 

 or cold-pit, to bring in for flowering at any time between February and May. The most suitable 

 time for re-potting is after their flowering season ; they delight in a light soil containing some 

 loam from the woods. 



BALSAM LADY'S SLIPPER (Tender Annual). See Fig. 33. 



Balsams are a class of plants readily grown from seed, that bountifully repay any time and 

 expense involved in rearing them. Their double flowers, of most brilliant colors and shape, with 

 the beautiful texture of the petals, rank them among the finest of flowers, but unfortunatly being 

 short stemmed, their use in ordinary bouquets is precluded ; they can, however, be employed 

 in arranging plate bouquets or upon baskets of moss, very well. The pure white variety is 

 largely grown by florists for making into wreaths, harps and other designs, suitable for funerals, 

 by first stemming them with wire on short bits of match stick and inserting into wire forms filled 

 with moss, so that the flower touches ; frequently no other flowers are used but the double white 

 Balsam, and the effect produced is complete. For ordinary culture the seed may be sown in 

 the hot-bed, cold-frame, or seed-bed, transplanting the plants finally, to a distance of ten or 

 twelve inches apart, after the second set of leaves have started. Few plants are susceptible of 

 such great improvement by pinching as is the Balsam ; they may be trained to one, three or 

 five branches for flowering, and in either case will be more pleasing than if allowed to take their 

 natural course in growing, or some plants may be trained to each method, thus creating a variety 

 in themselves. To train to one branch, simply remove all side shoots as they appear ; this will 

 cause it to grow two or three feet in height, and be perfectly covered with bloom. For three or 

 five shoots, pinch back the terminal and all side shoots but the number it is desired to have 

 remain for flowering. The American climate is well adapted to the Balsam, and if grown in 

 good rich soil, flowers of great excellence can be produced, although it seems to be an established 

 fact that some flowers will come only partially double from the best strains of double seed. The 

 plant is well adapted for pot culture in summer, by having the soil of good loamy quality, well 

 enriched, and giving it a sunny position and plenty of water. Nothing smaller than a six-inch 

 pot will answer well for this purpose. 



B. Camellia-flowered, spotted German, very double and choice, spotted with white. B. 

 Camellia-flowered, pure white. B. Camellia-flowered, double dwarf, very fine; eight or ten inches 

 in height. B. Carnation, fine double flowers, resembling a Carnation. B. Victoria, satiny 

 white, spotted with scarlet ; exceedingly pretty. B. Rose-flowered, perfectly double. B. Extra 

 Double Dwarf, very double ; eight inches. 



BEGONIA (Greenhouse Perennial, 36, 55, 80). 



An interesting family of plants in their two divisions of flowering and showy leaf varieties. 

 The more free-flowering varieties of the former are indispensable in every florist establishment, 

 their flowering qualities rendering them valuable for bouquets. They are also well adapted for 



