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RELIABLE FLOWER SEEDS, 



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67 



Dreer's Famous American Asters 



Asters are one of the most important summer and 

 autumn flowers, and receive special care at our hands. 

 Yearly exhaustive tests are made with a view to offer- 

 ing only the choicest kinds, regardless of cost. As a 

 result of this care our list comprises only such sorts as 

 can be planted with perfect confidence that nothing 

 better is procurable, no matter at what price or from 

 what source. 



The varieties offered on this and the following three 

 pages represent the finest Asters introduced to date, and 

 are all firmly established favorites with the most critical 

 growers of this popular flower, and should be in every 

 garden where high quality is appreciated. 



The early sorts, such as Queen of the Market, 

 Lavender Gem and Royal, begin blooming in July, 

 followed by the mid-season varieties, which are usu- 

 ally at their best during August, and which include 

 such splendid sorts as Pink Beauty, Ostrich Feather 

 and the Improved American Victorias. Then come 

 the late flowering kinds, which bloom from the end 

 of August on through September into Octolier. This 

 class furnishes the finest flowers of all, and is well 

 represented in our list by our Superli Late Branching, 

 Beauty, our Peerless Pink, the finest Pink Aster 

 grown, Crego's Giant, Crimson Giant, the Kings and 

 a number of other fine sorts. It is quite easy, there- 

 fore, with a little care in the selection or the varieties, 

 to have Asters in bloom from the first days in July 

 until hard frost, 



A Few Cultural Hints on the 

 Growing of Asters 



Asters will thrive in any good soil, prepared in the 

 same way as you would for a crop of vegetables, 

 but it is well to remember that any extra care taken in 

 the preparation of the soil is repaid by finer plants, larger blooms with longer stems and more profuse flowering. They should 

 have an open, sunny position, and prefer a good, heavy, loamy soil, enriched with a liberal quantity of bone meal or other good 

 commercial fertilizer; and the addition of wood ashes or air-slacked lime, and we do not advise growing them on the same ground 

 year after year; it is better to change each season. 



For early flowering the seed should be started in the house, hotbed or cold-frame in April, transferring them to their flowering 

 quarters as soon as danger from frost is past. For August and later flowering it is just as well to sow them in the open in May, 

 preferably in a prepared seed bed, transplanting them when two or three inches high to where they are to bloom, although they 

 may be sown where they are to flower with equally as good results. 



The main essentials to insure fine Asters are a rich soil, frequent cultivation, no check to their growth from start to finish and 

 ample room to develop. When wanted for cutting with long stems, they should be set out not closer than twelve inches apart in 

 the rows and two feet between the rows. When wanted for mass effects in beds they may be planted nine inches to a foot apart 

 each way. 



Asters are sometimes attacked by an aphis at their roots; also by stem rot. Both of these troubles are rarely met with if the 

 plants are grown on good soil, and are not checked in their growth. The addition of wood ashes or air-slacked lime at the time 

 of the preparation of the bed also helps to prevent these troubles. 



CHINA ASTERS 



1340 Qeneral Mixture. This mixture was saved from the 

 many sorts and colors grown on our trial grounds the 

 past season. 5 cts. per pkt. ; ^ oz., 25 cts. 



ASTERMUM 



ASTERMUM ASTERS 



A strain of Comet Asters which, on account of their size and 

 Chrysanthemum-like appearance, have appropriately been named 

 Astermums. The plants grow about 2 feet high, and come into 

 bloom a little earlier than the Crego's Giant. We offer three 

 fine colors, as under: 



1261 Lavender. A rich shade of lavender or light violet. 



1262 Pink. A very attractive shade of lively rose- pink. 



1263 White. Purest snow-white. 



Price. 15 cts. per pkt. ; a packet of each color for 3.5 cts. 



BEAUTY ASTERS 



A recently developed late flowering strain coming into bloom 

 in late September, and being at their best through October, the 

 plants grow nearly 3 feet high, and hear their very large, 

 densely double flowers on long strong stems. We offer four 

 beautiful colors. 



1271 American Beauty. Bright cerise-rose. 



1272 Lavender Beauty. Soft lavender. 



1273 Purple Beauty. Rich deep purple. 



1274 September Beauty. Delicate shell-pink. 



Price. 15 cts. per pkt.; a pkt. each of the 4 colors, 50 cts. 



CREGO'S GIANT 



COMET ASTERS 



We consider this the finest and largest of all Comet Asters, 

 bearing immense fluffy flowers five inches and over in diameter, 

 as fine as any Chrysanthemum, and when cut keep in good 

 condition longer than any other of this type (illustrated on page 

 68). We offer five colors, viz.: 



PKK PKT. 



1281 White. Pure white 15 



1282 Pink. Delicate shell-pink 15 



1283 Purple. Bright purple 15 



1284 Rose. Rich deep rose 15 



1285 Lavender. Deep lavender 15 



1288 Collection of a packet each of the 5 colors, 60 cts. 

 1290 Crego's Mixed. All colors, 15 cts. per pkt.; 75 cts. 



per ^ oz. 



Asters are continued on pages 68 to 70. See also Specialties, pages 52 to 62 



