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Branching P^ony-flowered Aster. 



DREER'S SUPERB ASTERS. 



ASTERS are one of the most important summer and autumn 

 flowers, and receive special care at our hands. Yearly 

 exhaustive tests of both home-grown and imported stocks 

 are made with a view to offering only the choicest kinds, 

 regardless of cost, .\s 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 early sorts begin blooming in July, followed by the mid- 

 season kinds, which flower during August; then the late-flowering 

 varieties, which are at their best through September. It is quite 

 easy, therefore, with a little care in the selection of the varieties, 

 to have Asters in flower from the first days in July until hard 

 frost. 



Culture. — 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 posi- 

 tion, and prefer a good, heavy, loamy soil, enriched with a liberal 

 quantity of thoroughly rotted manure, and the addition of wood 

 ashes or air-slaked 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, 

 hot-l)ed 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, 

 preferat>ly 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 almost 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 ihe rows and two feet between the rows. When wanted for mass efl'ects 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, a fungous disease, which causes the stem to decay 

 just at the point it emerges from the ground. 



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-slaked lime at the time of the preparation of the beds also helps to prevent these troubles. 



The Aster or Black Beetle, which devours the flowers, can only be destroyed by hand-picking or by knocking them into a basin 

 or receptacle in which there is some water and kerosene oil. As a rule, these beetles come in August, and by growing only the 

 early and late-flowering kinds can be avoided. 



P^^ONY-FI^OWERED ASTERS. 



A mid-season variety, which in vigor of growth, habit, size of 

 bloom and all other qualities which go to make up a first-class 

 Aster is unequalled. The plants grow about 18 inches high, 

 every flower being borne on a long stem, making them valuable 

 for cutting or bedding. 



PER PKT. PER PKT. 



1.375 Crimson 10 I 1377 Peach Blossom. . . 10 



1376 Dark Blue 10 | 1378 Pure White 10 



A packet of each of the 4 colors, 30 cts. 

 1380 Finest Mixed Colors. ^ oz., 50 cts 10 



CHINA ASTERS. 



1340 Mixed. This is a general mixture of various sorts 



and colors. ^ oz., 25 cts 5 



GIANT COMET ASTERS. 



This type is grown for us in Europe and is very handsome, 

 with immense plumy flowers; blooms in August; 18 to 24 inches. 



1297 Giant Pure White 10 



1296 The Bride. The flowers, on opening, are of the 

 purest white, changing as they become older to a beau- 

 tiful shade of rose 10 



1300 Giant Branching Comet. Magnificent flowers on 

 stems over a foot long; flowers extremely loose and 

 graceful; a grand type for cutting. Mixed colors. 

 I oz., 50 cts 10 



Giant Comet Aster. 



DREER'S "CRIMSON KING" 

 ASTER. 



1305 This splendid variety is illustrated and fully (described 



on page 60. 2 pkts., 25 cts 15 



For New emd Spacial varieties of Atten tee pages 59 to 61. See also pases 74 to 76. 



