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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 veiw to offer- 

 ing only the choicest icinds, regardless of cost. As a ^^^^m. f^f-'i „ 

 result of; this care our list comprises only such sorts as ^B^^^ ' ' I v 

 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 _g«^ .»^ 

 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 Marlcet, Lavender 

 Gem and Royal, begin blooming in July, followed by the ^^.j,,^ 



mid-season varieties, which are usually at their best , ^, ^» - ^ , « '•-^' ?*s*^^5^s&^_ ^t 



during August, and which include such splendid sort^ _ '""i^'^'^ V '^^^"•rk,,,.,^^ "r'-- ^Ji 



as Pinl!. Beauty, Ostrich Feather and the Improved k "--""* ^ * ^5§^,.5^-->' - - ' 



American Victorias. Then come the late flowering kinds, ^J '^^'^'^ * ^"^ ' -***--».-a- ^. 



which bloom from the end of August on through Septem- 'W^,--^ ^. ^^ ^"-^ , ^' \V, - 



ber into October. This class furnishes the finest flower- '" '~ f ,j^0' **^^' ^v " ^^ ' 



of all, and is well represented in our Hst by our Superb '' i^^f^ ^S^, - ^^.^ ^^ * ' 



Late Branching, Beauty, our Peerless Pink, the finest f^^^H^^flj^F ,- \ '^'V 



Pink Aster grown, Crego's Giant, Crimson Giant, the '^SBSB^^^i^^' \ ^ ^ 



Kings and a number of other fine sorts. It is quite easy, ^B^SB^I^^ ,^^ « '^ ^% \^ -' i* 



therefore, with a little care in the selection of the varieties, HSBBsb^^^T i ' m k^ ^- 



to have Asters in bloom from the first days in July until ^Ka^BKm^^S 1 ^ *, >. 



hard frost. _ 



> 



A Few Cultural Hints on the ^B^BS^/A ^ ^ "^"^ ^ 



Growing of Asters WBWi^Mi^. ti^a.^. ma^ak. "»^ 



Asters will thrive in any good soil, prepared in the ^»a- 



same way as you would for a crop of vegetables, but ^■f Astermu.m 



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 fertil- 

 izer; 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. 



Astermum Asters China Asters 



A strain of Comet Asters which, on account of their size and 1340 General Mixture. This mixture was saved from the 



Chrysanthemum-like appearance, have appropriately been named ^^any double flowering sorts grown on our trial grounds the 



Astermums. The plants grow about 2 feet high, and come into riosX. season 5 cts per pkt • - oz. 25 cts. 

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



colors, as under: ^ a j- 



1261 Lavender. A rich shade of lavender or light violet. CregO S Giant Comet AsterS 



1262 Pink. A very attractive shade of lively rose-pink. ,,, . 1 ..i.- ^1. r . 11 * f u n^^^t A^t^^^ 

 ,„,, ,„■... r, \ u-^ .y F \yg consider this the finest and largest of all Comet Asters, 



1263 White. Purest snow-white. ... n a- a ^ ■ i. a • j-„™„t - 

 „_■„„ ,r, ,, lit uirir^ bearing immense fluffy flowers five inches and over m diameter. 

 Price. 15 cts. per pkt.; a packet of each color for 35 cts. j- „, ,, , , .. i „ ;„ „^^a ^^„ 



' ^ ' as hne as any Chrysanthemum, and when cut keep in good con- 



Oeauty Asters dltlon longer than any other of this type (illustrated on page 68). 



A iij 1 jii-a • 1- • -iLi We offer five colors, viz.; 



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 bear their very large, densely 1281 White. Pure white $0 15 



double flowers on long strong stems. We ofi"er four beautiful 1282 Pink. Delicate shell-pink 15 



colors. 1283 Purple. Bright purple 15 



1271 American Beauty. Bright cerise-rose. 1284 Rose. Rich deep rose 15 



1272 Lavender Beauty. Soft lavender. 1285 Lavender. Deep lavender 15 



1273 Purple Beauty. Rich deep purple. 1288 Collection of a packet each of the 5 colors, 60 cts. 



1274 September Beauty. DeUcate shell-pink. 1290 Crego's Mixed. All colors, 15 cts. per pkt.; 75 cts. 

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



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



