'9 



respects makes fall planting worthy of trial. Freedom from stem rot 

 is especialU- marked, but root-lice infested soil must be carefully 

 avoided. 



Number of Comparison between plants transplanted once, 



Times Trans- twice and more times showed no difference in the 

 planted. amount of the disease. 



The theory is most plausible that a trouble of this 

 Heredity. nature would be brought about or transmitted by 

 the use of seed from affected plants, and it was 

 confideiiily believed that experiments along this line would show 

 definite results. In the fall of 1899 seed was carefully selected from 

 plants affected in all degrees with the disease. Such seed was found 

 difficult to secure, for, as previously stated, affected plants produce 

 very little. A good series, however, was finally obtained and 

 that from each plant carefully labelled with its history and saved 

 by itself. This seed was planted the following spring, germin- 

 ated well, and the seedlings were pricked out and then trans- 

 planted into the open ground. Contrary to expectations these 

 plants were as fine a lot as any and showed less of the yellow di.s- 

 ease than the average. In one row of 13 plants, seed taken from a 

 plant in which all but one small branch was badly diseased, none 

 were affected. Another row of 12 from a plant considerably affected, 

 had none affected. These were two as nice rows of plants as any 

 in the field. Other rows of r8, 20 and 25 plants had from i to 3 

 diseased, the others excellent plants. Altogether 138 plants 

 matured in these lots, and 5 were diseased. Comparing this with 

 the result in the bed planted in the fall with the very best home- 

 grown, selected seed, all from perfectly healthy plants, where nearly 

 50 per cent were badly affected, the overthrow of the heredity idea 

 is complete. 



The growth of asters upon various types of soils. 

 Physical Prop- wet and dry, heavy and light, clay, loam, sand, 

 erties of the gravel, etc. has been tested quite extensively on our 

 Soil. own grounds and by giving plants to others in vari- 



ous places, as well as by general observations. 

 Without going into detailed descriptions it may be said that no dif- 

 ference in the amount of vellow l)light could be laid to this source. 



