174 HARDY PERENNIAL PLANTS. 



ARMERIA (Sea Pink) Of the Sea Pinks A. vulgaris is the best known. 

 It grows in dense low clumps, having narrow grass-like leaves. The 

 flowers are in close heads, on scapes only a few inches high. There are 

 numerous forms of this species, with red, lilac, deep pink and white 

 flowers. A. cephalotes has much larger leaves than the above, and the 

 flowers, which are deep rose, or crimson, are borne on very long scapes. 

 A. plantaginea is intermediate in size between the two first-named spe- 

 cies. The choicer varieties are best increased by division ; the pieces 

 should be potted in sandy soil in the beginning of October and kept in a 

 close frame to encourage roots. All of the species are best raised from 

 seed. Sow late in Autumn, in a cool house, prick off the seedlings and 

 remove to a cold frame early to thoroughly harden off. In this section 

 we put out plants of this class in the open ground as soon as it is in a 

 workable condition, so that they may be well established before the hot 

 weather arrives. 



ASCLEPIAS TUBEROSA (Pleurisy Root) One of our most showy 

 flowered native herbaceous plants. It is deep rooting, and is frequently 

 seen growing luxuriantly in dry fields in positions fully exposed to the 

 sun, with the surrounding herbage almost withered. It is late in bloom- 

 ing and valuable on this account. In removing plants from their native 

 places they should be taken only after they have completed growth. As 

 many of the roots as possible should be saved, as the species dislikes 

 removal. Raising plants from seeds is the most certain method of prop- 

 agation. As they grow but slowly in the seedling stage sow only a 

 few seeds in a pot of rather firm soil, and allow the young plants to 

 remain in these pots for at least a year before planting out. When culti- 

 vated in gardens the blooming period is longer than is the case with 

 wild plants. 



ASPERULA ODORATA (Sweet Woodruff) A slender growing plant of 

 the Bedstraw family (Rubiacese,) with pure white flowers in May. It 

 will succeed in clumps if given a partially shaded situation, but as it 

 blooms only for a short season, and the foliage is not very attractive, 

 it is sometimes grown in a quite satisfactory way in company with other 

 plants, such as Vinca herbacea, V. minor, and even with varieties of the 

 English Ivy when used for covering ground among shrubs and under 

 trees. The flowers of the Woodruff appearing among the foliage of these 

 plants makes an exceedingly pretty picture. It is propagated by divi- 

 sion and from seeds. The leaves, when dried, have a very agreeable 

 aromatic odor. 



ASTER (flichaelmas Daisy) Nearly a hundred species and varieties 

 of these popular border plants are offered by some of the European 

 nurserymen. Many of the plants are indispensable for the ornamenta- 

 tion of the herbaceous border in late Summer and Autumn. They are 

 all of free growth and will thrive in ordinary garden soil without much 

 attention; but if the soil be worked deep, and well manured before plant- 

 ing, the plants will show the results of it in the size and number of 

 flowers. These asters are best increased by division before starting into 

 active growth. Of A. novi-belgii there are numerous forms, some of 

 them only 18 inches high and from that ranging to a height of 6 feet. 



