On the Cultivation of Double China Asters in Pots. 403 



Art. it. On the Cultivation of Double China Asters in Pots. 



By S. SWEETSER. 



The cultivation of double asters in pots is very similar to that 

 of other annuals, such as balsams, globe amaranthuses, &c., v^^ith 

 the exception that they require much less heat, and may conse- 

 quently be produced in any garden, even without the aid of a 

 green-house, while the former can only be grown with the assist- 

 ance of a hot-bed. 



Having had considerable success the past season in flowering 

 quite a number in pots, I send you these few remarks, though 

 they contain nothing new that I am aware of, but are simply the 

 result of my method of growing the plants. They were the 

 greatest ornaments of my green-house throughout the summer, 

 and ehcited the admiration of many friends, and the notice of 

 yourselves; and as I have never observed any plants cultivated 

 in this manner, perhaps my remarks may be the means of their 

 more general growth in pots. The varieties are now very nume- 

 rous, and possess exceeding beauty. 



Seeds of five or six varieties were sown in a frame, without 

 much heat, early in the month of April. The plants came up 

 very thick in the pots, and were allowed to remain until they had 

 made five or six rough leaves: they were then potted off into 

 number two pots, in a light rich compost, one plant in each, and 

 placed in the frame or green-house, where they made a slow but 

 strong growth. In the month of May the plants were shifted into ^ 

 number three pots, and, in the couse of a few days, they were 

 removed to the open air, in a sunny situation, where they re- 

 mained for some time. The plants were regularly supplied with 

 water. They soon began to make a rapid growth, and, early in 

 the month of June, they were again repotted into number five 

 pots: the soil at this shifting was composed of loam and leaf 

 mould, or decayed manure of any kind, in about equal proportions. 

 The plants immediately after this shifting made vigorous growths; 

 the leading shoots were tied to sticks as they advanced, to pre- 

 vent their being broken by the wind. 



The green-house plants being mostly removed out of doors, 

 or such of them as did not require to be retained, all the pots 

 containing the double asters were placed upon the stages, at the 

 distance of about two feet from each other. The upper sashes 

 were allowed to remain open all night throughout the summer, ex- 

 cept when the weather was extremely cool; water was supplied in 

 large quantities, and occasionally liquid manure. Towards thq 

 latter part of July the plants showed flower-buds, which soon 

 began to expand: and, from the first of August to the present 



