MAY: SECOND WEEK 129 



may be. To keep up the quality of the blooms until the 

 end of the season the plants should be fed after they have 

 been in blossom for a while with additional dressings of bone 

 dust and a little nitrate of soda. 



Buy Early and Late Asters 



The aster is another flower which if set out now will 

 give an abundance of bloom throughout the latter part of 

 the summer. In buying plants try to get both early and 

 late blooming types. And get some plants of a named 

 variety they will be worth the extra price. Though 

 asters will grow and bloom in poor soil, they will respond 

 readily to good culture. For large blooms they should be 

 kept disbudded and given plenty of plant food and water. 



Usually the only trouble in raising them is the aster 

 beetle, which appears after the plants are well along. 

 Heavy applications of tobacco dust will repel him if used 

 in time, and if there are other plants in the vicinity. Arse- 

 nate of lead, used extra strong, is effective; it is better to 

 spoil such flowers as may be open than to risk losing the 

 whole crop. Hand picking of the beetles is the surest and 

 quickest method, and if there are not too many plants it is 

 to be recommended. 



