SOME HOMELY FLOWERS 



Asters I shall class among the homely flowers. I must 

 confess they are not quite easy to grow, although they 

 are really more tantalising than difficult. I am led to 

 say this from the fact that in August and September I 

 generally contrive to have quite a fair display of the 

 charming and graceful Ostrich Plume Asters that are as 

 far removed from the ordinary florist's varieties as the 

 proverbial chalk is from the proverbial cheese. You sow 

 the seeds in March in greenhouse or frame ; they germin- 

 ate well and start growing merrily. Then the time comes 

 to put them out of doors. They are nice, sturdy little 

 plants with healthy green leaves, and give every prospect 

 of behaving as model plants should do. 



Alas ! that appearances should be so deceptive ! In 

 a week or two one naturally looks for signs of progress, for 

 fresh green leaves and increased stature. How measure 

 the amateur's dismay when it is forced upon him as 

 the weeks pass by that the Asters are unhappy ? 

 The central leaves are stunted, shrivelled, and only 

 half the size of those that grew before. What is 

 wrong ? Well, the chances are that if the centres 

 are examined, they will be found to be attacked 

 by the black fly, a pernicious pest that seems to 

 suck the very life blood from the poor Asters. I have 

 found nothing to check it so well as syringing with Abol 

 insecticide (made into solution according to the directions 

 on the tins), say twice a week for a month or so. But 

 even with the timely help of Abol and other aids with 



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