32 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



which shall give blossoms of the greatest beauty, the plants should he set 

 out where they are to flower when they are young and tender. 



When the flowers begin to appear, during the hot and burning days of 

 August, I place an awning over the plants in the morning, to break the too 

 vivid ruys of the sun. By this precaution, the flowers of the delicately 

 colored varieties, such as the shades of rose, white, and lilac, remain fresh 

 and brilliant for a week or more. In the evening, when the force of the 

 sun has abated, I take off" the awning, that the plants may enjoy the healthy 

 dew of the night. During the months of September and October, to pre- 

 eerve the flowers as long as possible, I do just the contrary. During the 

 evening I place awnings over the flowers, to keep them during the night 

 from the white frosts and the cold dew, for at this season the abundant dew 

 is more hurtful to the flowers than the frost. If the sun dissipates it rapidly, 

 the flowers lose their delicate colors, and in a few days their freshness and 

 beauty. At 9 or 10 o'clock in tlie morning, I take oflT the awning, that the 

 plants may have as much light as possible, for at this sesison it is indispen- 

 sable for the ripening of the seed. 



5. Choice of Seed and Gathering. 



The variety of asters which I have is very pure, and reproduces itself 

 freely, so it is rare that I have to pull up a plant, among the great number 

 that I raise, for bearing flowers of imperfect form. I have well established 

 that the variations which take place in these plants are only due to the 

 mixing of colors, for the habits of the plants, and especially the form of the 

 flowers, always remain the same. The varieties more susceptible of mixing 

 in their colors are — rose, which passes to white ; deep one-colored violet, 

 which changes to rose ; the white has never produced other colors, yet 

 clear lilac can pass to rose or white. This variation is not without in- 

 terest, for it permits us often to ohtain new tints on some plants which are 

 well worthy of propagation. It is thus that each year I increase the num- 

 ber of the varieties that I cultivate. 



The choice of the seed to save is a matter of importance. I mark the 

 plants which have a perfect habit, and which produce flowers of a round 

 pseony form, which are as perfect as could be wished. The flowers which 

 I regard as perfect are those which are composed of a number of rays, 

 showing the large, long tongue-shaped petals, which shine with the brightest 

 and purest colors. Yet these varieties do not ordinarily give many seeds, 

 and I attribute the small quantity of seed to the perfection of the flower. 

 Each year verifies this fact ; so the more perfect the flowers of a variety, 

 the less vitality there is in the seeds, and they come up poorly. This im- 

 perfection is explained thus — in spite of the fair appearance of the seed 

 vessel, the seeds are not fertilized well. I have said that choice asters do 

 not produce a large amount of seed ; I should add, that seeds do not occur 

 in the centre of the flower, but chiefly in those first expanded, and it is 

 unusual to find them in secondary flowers. All other things being equal, I 

 take them from the flowers wherever I find them. I do in this contrary to 

 the method recommended in the culture of the old varieties ; for many 



