Sikkiniensis, Hook. Three to 4 1 r , ,i : . !vs. 



lanceolate-acuminate, spiuiilose-serrali ; i-.i;.,. m large 



corymbs. Himalayas. B.M. 4557.— .1 .>'""'",/', 1 li"! .'-^tern- 

 less and sarmentose. with 1-tid. braoted scapt-s : radical Ivs. 

 spatulate, hairy : heads lilac-blue, 1 in. across. Pretty. Hima- 

 layas. BM.6912.—*A.termi>MKs=S—A. Tdwmhmdii. Hook. 

 =-A. Bigelovli, Gray (N. Amer.). L_ g, g. 



The native Asters are amongst the very best plants for 

 borders and roadsides. They should be better known. 

 A. actiminatus grows well in shade in ordinary soil, not 

 necessarily moist; increases in vigor under cultivation. 

 A. cordifoliits prefers open or partial shade ; improves 

 much under cultivation with good soil. A. corymbosus 

 prefers at least partial shade, and will grow even in very 

 deep shade; seeils very freely; does well on dry ledges 

 and in small crevices in rock; very tenacious of life. A. 

 dumosus prefers full sunlight and dry situation. A.eri- 

 coides wants full sunlight and dry situation ; will grow 

 in very poor or shallow soil, but does best where roots 

 can penetrate deep. A. lievis grows in either full sun- 

 light or partial shade and good soil. A. Novw-Arujtiw 

 will not endure much shade ; prefers moist soil, but 

 grows well in ordinary garden situations. Fall-sown 

 seedlings of A. Novip-Annliw. var. j-o.stri.i, come prac- 

 tically true to varietal n.ime, though varying in shade 

 of color, and these seedlings bloom later than older 

 plants and at height of 18 inches, making the plant of 

 value as a late bedding plant treated as an annual. A. 

 Novi-Behiii prefers moist soil ; will not endure heavy 

 shade. A. panirithifns prefers moist soil, but will do 

 well in rather dry situations ; will endure more shaile 

 than either of tlie two above species. A. piitiiis wants 

 open or half-shaded places, and good soil ; one of the 

 weaker species, often proving short-lived. A . jjiiiiieciis 

 will not endure shade ; prefers moist places, but will 

 grow in good soil not over moist ; in dry situations it 

 loses its vigor ; spreads rapidly in favored locations. 

 A. spectaljilis prefers open or partly shaded places; one 

 of the weaker species in wild state ; rather short-lived. 

 A. uiiduhitiis wants open or half shade ; late-flowering, 

 handsome plant, forming large bushes wliere allowed to 

 develop. A.vimineus, althoughnot in the trade, is a flue 

 plant in cultivation. F.W.Barclay. 



Cass. {Cal- 

 Jiortetisis, 

 The genus 

 it is too like 

 63. -One of 



ASTER, CHINA. CaUlstepliKs ho 



Ustephus i'Jn-,i,'i,s!«. Xr.-s, C'lll 



Cass. Jf!tirS;in'Hxix.lli:r1.>. ('mil 



Callisteiiiin:. is ,,M.t than Callht.-pli 

 Callisteiu.iU to staii.l. ]!..M. THK;. K 

 the most popular of all garden annuals, being particu- 

 larly valuable for its fall blooming. The evolution of 

 the China Aster suggests that of the chrysanthemum 

 at almost every point, and it is, therefore, a history of 

 remarkable variations. The plant is native to China. It 

 was introduced into Europe about 1731 by E. P. d'lncar- 

 ville, a Jesuit missionary in China, for whom the genus 

 Inearvillea of the Bignonia family was named. At that 

 time it was a single flower ; that is, the rays or ligulate 

 florets were of only 2-4 rows. These rays were blue, vio- 

 let or white. {The center of the flower (or head) was 

 comprised of very numerous tubular, yellowish florets. 

 Philip Miller, the famous gardener-botanist of Chelsea, 

 Eng^ received seeds of the single white and red Asters 

 in Iral, evidently from Prance ; and he received the 

 single blue in 1736. In 1752 he obtained seeds of the 

 double red and blue, and in 1753 of the double white. 

 At that time there api>ears to have been no dwarf forms, 

 for Miller says that thr plants -rew 18 in. or 2 ft. high. 

 Martyn, in 1807, says that in a.hlitiou to these varieties 

 mentioned by Millif, 1hrr.' ha.l then appeared a "varie- 

 gated blue and wliite " variety. The species was well 

 known to American gardeners at the opening of this cen- 

 tury. In 1800 M'Mahon, of Philadelphia, mentioned the 

 "China Aster (in sorts)" as one of the desirable garden 

 annuals. Bridgeman, a New York seedsman, offered the 

 China and German Asters in 18.37 "in numerous and 

 splendid varieties," specifying varieties "alba, rubra. 



ASTER 113 



cerulea, striata purpurea, etc." In 1845, Eley said that 

 " China and German Asters " " are very numerous " in New 

 England. This name German Aster records the fact that 

 the first great advances in the evolution of the plant 

 were made in Germany, and the seeii which we now use 



iteeniiiiy. The first marked de- 

 ai'peais to have been the pro- 



elopnient of the central florets of 



iduction of the "quilled" flower. 



very popular 40 and 50 years ago. 



ion of his Flower Garden, in 1851, 



comes largely from th 

 parture from the ty|. 

 longation or great cle\ 

 the head, and the pr 

 This type of Aster wa: 

 Breck, in the first edil 

 speaks of the great improve 



; of the Aster "within i 



164. Aster 



esteemed, having ji Iieniis|jlM 

 white, clear blue, piiiplr. ims 

 fully mottled, striped. <<r ed 

 having a red or blue rrni.r-. 

 habit of the plant ha.l hcnin 

 the progenitors of our ni.idrr 

 tract attention. The qtiilled, 

 generation or more ago is to. 

 of these later days, and the 

 fluffy races are now most in 

 larity is usually greater tlii' 

 form of the uncombed chr> 

 Aster had long since varied i 



^ts, and others," and 



s are the most highly 



shape, either a pure 



di ep red ; or beauti- 



villi those colors, or 



out 50 years ago the 



aiy considerably, and 



iif races began to at- 



ceiitered flower of a 



- ~ai i- fy the tastes 



■ 1 . loose and 



I : iheir popu- 



1 i;m X aiipruach the 



