288 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



flowered species, but it has a faulty habit ; and Tradescantii is 

 only worth a place in the wood in company with tardiflorus, 

 patulus and prenanthoides. 



I refrain from saying much about the garden forms now under 

 consideration at Chiswick until our labours are fully concluded, 

 because many of the names may still be altered, so that it would 

 only cause confusion — a state of things, in this genus especially, 

 which we want to avoid as far as possible. The result of our 

 work at the Chiswick Gardens will shortly be published in the 

 Journal, and as a set of the named sorts will always be grown 

 there, it will be a ready source of reference to all interested in 

 his the most beautiful of hardy autumn-flowering plants. 



EEPOET ON ASTERS, 

 Mostly known as MICHAELMAS DAISIES. 

 Prepared by Mr. D. Dewak. 



The following is believed to be a complete list of the species 

 of Aster in cultivation in English gardens at the present time. 

 Most of them will be found in the Society's gardens at Chiswick, 

 and the remainder, a few of which are only of botanical interest, 

 will be found at Kew, where the collection, both of species 

 and varieties, is nearly complete. The work of the Chiswick Aster 

 Committee, which has extended over two years, has been very 

 complicated, entailing much time and no little patience. The 

 work is now, however, practically finished, and a collection of 

 the Asters named by the Committee is being grown at Chiswick, 

 both as a means of reference and also to distribute amongst the 

 Fellows, or those of them who are interested in these late-flower- 

 ing hardy plants. The heights given in feet are not to be 

 absolutely relied upon, as they varied considerably during the 

 two years the plants were under observation. Newly planted 

 Asters are likely to grow taller than established clumps, and the 

 nature of the soil and the season must also be taken into con- 

 sideration. The time of flowering also varied somewhat, but not 

 enough to call for special remark. 



A reference to the list will show that the majority of the 

 garden forms have been referred to A. Icevis and A. Novi-Belgii 



