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bed the best on the place, and I look to it for my best 

 flowers ; and I wish to emphasize the desirableness of 

 protection from wind for flower beds. 



For the past five or six years I have devoted myself 

 almost wholly to the cultivation of asters, sweet peas, 

 pansies and nasturtiums, and tried to grow them to some- 

 thing like perfection ; and I believe that there is a future 

 for these flowers that will far exceed the expectations of 

 their most enthusiastic cultivators. Strictly speaking, 

 pansies are not annuals, but as they are largely grown as 

 such let us consider them as annuals. 



ASTERS. 



It is well to make two plantings of asters — the first 

 about the first of March and the second the first of 

 April, in the greenhouse, hot-bed, or window, in shallow 

 boxes, and as soon as the plants are well up, prick them 

 out into thumb pots. From this time until they are set 

 in the open ground where they are to remain, the greatest 

 care is necessary to keep them from becoming spindling. 

 " Keep the plants as cool as possible, and still keep them 

 growing," is my maxim, and if this is done, good stocky 

 plants will be the result. About the first of May the 

 plants should be set in the open ground in rows or beds 

 as the cultivator may prefer, but in either case they 

 should be set at least two feet apart. If the weather is 

 dry when they are set they must be watered until they 

 become thoroughly established. Cultivate often, keeping 

 the soil loose and free from weeds until the buds begin to 

 set, when all cultivation must cease. When the plants 

 are about two-thirds grown they should be tied up to 

 stakes ; otherwise if a heavy storm should come when 

 they are in full bloom, the plants will be levelled to the 

 ground, and the flowers covered with dirt and spoiled. 

 A bed of asters is in its prime from eight to ten days, 

 and a grander sight is seldom seen than during this time, 

 especially before any of the flowers have been cut. Three 



