20 



Commercial Gardening 



now a very large number of varieties, amongst the most popular being those 

 called "Chrysanthemum-flowered", "Comet" in dwarf (fig. 187) and tall 

 forms, "Ostrich Plume", " Pseony-flowered ", "Victoria", and several others. 

 The flowers in some are as regular as in a decorative Dahlia, while in 

 others, notably the Ostrich Plume and Chrysanthemum-flowered sections, 

 the flower heads resemble those of Japanese Chrysanthemums. 



As to colour, there is a great range of variation from the purest of 

 whites to the deepest of blues and purples passing through rose, crimson, 

 mauve, pink, salmon pink, lilac, violet, with intermediate shades. Yellow 

 is a rare colour, and is only just beginning to appear, but is a long way 

 from being perfect. 



China Asters are treated as half-hardy annuals. The seeds are sown 

 thinly from February to April in shallow boxes in ordinary good rich 



gritty soil. They germinate in 

 a few clays in a temperature 

 of 60 to '65 F. When large 

 enough to handle easily, the 

 seedlings are pricked out 2-3 

 in. apart in similar boxes and 

 soil, and are hardened off to be 

 ready for the great sales start- 

 ing in April and finishing in 

 June, for bedding-out purposes. 

 Apart from this trade in the 

 young plants, a good sale is 

 also done with the plants in 

 flower, and also in the cut 

 blooms later on. The plants 

 are placed in rows 6-9 in. 

 apart in the open borders, or 



on ground that has already been cleared of Violas, Pansies, Daisies, &c., 

 something like 80,000 plants going to an acre. The soil should be rich 

 and deeply dug or trenched to ensure sweetness; otherwise the Aster dis- 

 ease may attack the plants and cripple them. Where cold frames are 

 available after Violas, Pansies, or other dwarf crops, China Asters may 

 be also planted in them, and will come into flower earlier with the pro- 

 tection of the lights at night. The hoe should be kept going between the 

 plants regularly to keep down the weeds and insect pests, and also to 

 liberate food and conserve the soil moisture a most important considera- 

 tion in hot rainless summers. 



Chionodoxa (GLORY OF THE Sxow). Beautiful bulbous plants from 

 Asia Minor, chiefly valuable for spring flowering. A great trade is done 

 in the rather small bulbs (2s. 6d. to 3s. 6d. per 100) in autumn the best 

 time for planting in borders, shrubberies, or in grass land or lawns. They 

 flourish in any good and well-drained garden soil, and are effective when 

 planted in hundreds and thousands. The best kind is Lucilice, with sprays 



Fi-c. 1ST. Dwarf China Aster 



