510 , General Notices. 



Horticole, for July, 1853, a full account of his mode of cultivating the China 

 Aster. 



He sows the seeds in the open ground, and in pots or pans under cloches, 

 (bell-glasses) or in frames. The solving in the open ground is made in good, 

 rich, well-worked soil, in the last fortnight of March. The seeds are very 

 thinly covered with fine, decayed, light mould, and slightly watered, then 

 covered with bell-glasses or frames. These are covered with straw mats 

 when the nights are cold, and slightly shaded from the sun's rays when the 

 days are bright. 



If the weather prove favorable, the plants will appear in about ten days. 

 Air is then gradually admitted, and more fully as the plants acquire strength, 

 in order that they may become robust. It is necessary to guard against the 

 attacks of insects ; those most to be dreaded are the wood-lice and black 

 spiders. 



The plants from this sowing will commence flowering in the beginning 

 of August, and will continue till September ; so that in order to prolong the 

 flowering, it will be necessary to make several successive sowings, at inter- 

 vals often or twelve days ; but those sown in the end of March produce the 

 most vigorous plants and the finest flowers. 



Sown in pots or earthenware pans. — These, when the seeds are sown, 

 are covered with a pane of glass, whitened on the upper side with chalk 

 and water. This glass has the eflTect of breaking the rays of the sun, and 

 of preserving the seeds from mice and other animals or insects, and it pre- 

 vents the soil from becoming too dry. Tlie pots are then placed in a house, 

 with a temperature between 60° and 70°, and as near the glass as possible, 

 or, better, in a warm frame. A little air is admitted when the plants come 

 up, by tilting the square of glass, from which the chalk should be previous- 

 ly washed ofl", in order that the young plants may have as much light as 

 possibly can be given them. The pane of glass is removed when the young 

 stems grow up to it. 



Pricking out in the open air. — The plants from the sowing made under 

 bell-glasses, or in frames, between the 15th of March and the 1st of April, 

 ought to be pricked out between the 20th of April and the 1st of May, at 

 eight inches apart each way, in good light soil, covered with half an inch of 

 fine leaf-mould. The plants should be carefully watered, but not at night, 

 for the nights at this season of the year are frequently cold. 



Pricking out under bell-glasses or frames. — The plants from sowings made 

 in pots or pans, being more susceptible of drawing up than those raised in 

 the open ground, ought to be pricked out as young as possible, or as soon 

 as they have developed one or two leaves. Fifteen to eighteen are pricked 

 out under one hand-glass, and from eighty to a hundred under a frame four 

 feet, four inches square. The plants are slightly shaded from strong sun 

 for a few days ; air is gradually admitted, and when they have taken fresh 

 hold, the glass is taken off at all times when the weather permits, for it is to 

 be remarked tliat it is not employed for forcing tlie plants, but merely to 

 protect them from atmospheric vicissitudes. 



Final planting. — Between the 1st and 15th of June, taking advantage of 

 cloudy weather, the plants pricked out are taken up with balls, and planted 



