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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 vpith a 



view to offering 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, Mikado, Ostrich 

 Feather, and the Improved American Victorias. Then 

 come the late-flowering kinds, which bloom from the 

 end of August on through September into October. 

 This class furnishes the finest flowers of all, and is 

 well represented in our list by our Superb Late 

 Branching in eight beautiful colors, 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, therefore, with a little care 

 in the selection of 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-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, 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 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 

 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, a disease which causes the stem to decay just at the- 

 point where 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 bed 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 the late-flowering kinds can be avoided. 



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 35 cts. 



CHINA ASTERS 



1340 General 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. 



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 con- 

 dition longer than any other of this type (illustrated on page 68). 

 We offer five colors, viz.: 



PER PKT. 



1281 Wliite. 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 J oz. 



