ASTER 



ASTILBE 



115 



The first requisite to the growing of China Asters is to 

 have good, plump seed. As soon as the ground is in 

 good or fair condition in spring, spade up a seed-bed 



167. China Aster German Quilled. 



where the ground is rich, and rake it fine. Then make 

 shallow drills about an inch deep ; whiten the drills 

 with air-slaked lime, to keep worms and insects from 

 eating the young roots. Sow the seed in the drills, cov- 

 ering about %in. deep with fine dirt run through a sieve 

 of %in. mesh. When plants are about an inch high, 

 draw good, fine dirt to the roots, so that the seed-bed is 

 nearly level and all the weeds are covered. The plants are 

 hardier and better when grown in the open ground than 

 when started under glass. For the permanent quarters, 

 plow ground that has been well and heavily manured with 

 cow-manure the previous season ; then harrow thor- 

 oughly. Scatter 20 to 30 bushels of common lime to the 

 acre, if thought necessary, then plow again and harrow 

 well. With a one-horse plow make furrows the length 

 of' the field about 3 or 4 inches deep and 2% feet apart. 

 In these furrows one man drops the plants in two rows 

 about 12 or 16 in. apart, for two men to plant. Do not 

 furrow much ahead of the planters, so that they have 

 fresh dirt to put to the roots of the plants. By this 

 method the plants seldom wilt. If a dry spell follows in 

 three or four days, level the furrow with a hoe ; if wet, 

 let stand for about two weeks, then scatter 100 pounds 

 of guano or other fertilizer to the acre, and work the 

 land with a spike-tooth cultivator, with no shovels, so 

 that no dirt is thrown on the small plants. Hand-hoe 



between the plants, running horse and cultivator twice 

 in each row. The cultivator loosens the ground as deep 

 as it was plowed. Cultivate and hoe every two weeks, 

 especially after it has rained, until buds appear ; then 

 keep clean by hand. When blooms begin to appear, 

 mulch liberally with tobacco stems, to keep down weeds, 

 and to kill aphis at the roots. When the fls. begin to 

 open, keep a strict watch for the black beetle. When it 

 makes its appearance, put about a pint of water and 

 a gill of benzine in an old can and hold it under the 

 bugs ; they drop into it. These pests last from six 

 to nine days. Have them looked after three times a 



JAMES SEMPLE. 



ASTlLBE (Greek name, of no particular significance). 

 Saxifrag&cece. Includes Hoteia. Tall perennial herbs, of 

 7 or 8 species in eastern N. Amer. and Asia. They look 

 much like Aruncus (which see), and are often called 

 Spiraea. Aruncus and Spiraea are rosaceous genera, and 

 are characterized by many stamens and usually by sev- 

 eral to many separate pistils, whereas Astilbe has 8 or 10 

 stamens (twice the number, or of the same number, as 

 the petals), and a 2-3-lobed pistil (which finally sepa- 

 rates into more or less distinct follicles). Astilbe and 

 Aruncus are so much alike that they are constantly con- 

 founded by horticulturists and even by botanists. They 

 probably inter-cross. It is probable that they should be 

 placed in the same family, despite the technical botani- 

 cal differences. The Astilbes are hardy plants of great 

 merit. They are easily grown in any well-made border. 

 They give conspicuous masses of bloom in summer. 

 Prop, mostly by division. j j< jj g 



FORCING OF ASTILBE. Few herbaceous plants force 

 with greater ease than Astilbe Japonica and its var. com- 

 pacta; but three weeks longer time should be given the 

 latter to fully develop its feathery spikes. Astilbes are 

 so easily and cheaply imported that for the commercial 

 florist it is cheaper to buy than to divide and grow his 

 own plants. When first received, the clumps of roots 

 should be stored, with a little earth or moss between the 

 roots and a little soil over the crown, until the florist is 

 ready to pot them. No amount of freezing does them 

 the slightest harm ; but the boxes or flats in which they 

 are stored are best covered with a little straw or litter, 

 and should have the full benefit of rain or snow to keep 

 the roots from drying. From potting or burying into the 

 greenhouse, it requires from ten to fourteen weeks to 

 bring them into 

 flower, according to 

 the earliness of the 

 season at which 

 they are wanted in 

 flower. The quality 

 of soil is of no con- 

 sequence, provided 

 it is light and easily 

 handled. They need 

 water in great abun- 

 dance. Tempera- 

 ture is also of little 

 consequence. Any- 

 thing above 50 at 

 night will do ; but 

 it is best not to flow- 

 er them in higher 

 temperature than 

 60, or they will quickly 

 wilt when cut or used for 

 decorations. From the 

 time the sprays begin to 

 show white color until 

 they are fully developed, 

 every Astilbe should 

 stand in a saucer in 

 which there should be 

 constantly an inch of 

 liquid manure. When 168. China Aster- Victoria Needle, 

 sold for window plants 



or for decoration, Astilbes are often disappointing. It 

 is merely want of water. Before the full development 

 of the shoots and Ivs. they are easily hurt by tobacco 

 smoke, and should be covered with paper or well wetted 



