CHINA ASTERS AT WISLEY, 19x4- 



499 



CHINA ASTERS AT WISLEY, 1914. 

 Report by C. C. Titchmarsh, Trials Officer. 



The seeds of one hundred and ninety-four varieties of China Asters 

 (Callistephus) were received during the spring of 1914. They 

 were sown under glass on April 27, the germination being, on the 

 whole, good. The seedhngs were pricked out into frames and trans- 

 planted, 18 inches apart, on June 9 into the open ground. The site 

 had been trenched and manured in the previous autumn. Notwith- 

 standing a long spell of dry weather, the plants made excellent 

 progress, and were examined by the Floral Committee on August 28. 

 The varieties fall into the following classes : — 



I. Flowers single. 



(i.) Ray florets flat : — 



The form known as C . sinensis in catalogues, and its colour 

 forms. Habit much branched, flowers borne at the apex of 

 long, drooping stalks, 

 (ii.) Ray florets quilled: — 



The ' Elegance ' aster (hg. 109, i). A rather late-flowering 

 group of erect, almost fastigiate habit, little branched above 

 the base ; stems more or less coloured except in the white 

 or very pale-flowered varieties. Flowers held horizontally, 

 4-4J inches in diameter, disc deep yellow. The varieties of this 

 type are remarkable for their uniformity of habit and stature. 



II. Flowers double, 

 (i.) Florets fiat : — 



{a) ' Comet ' (fig. 108, a). Habit of the plants is very 

 variable. Flower at right angles to its stalk; ray florets 

 recurved and curled at apex. The ' Comet ' proper (fig. 108, a) 

 has the disc hidden by small, curved florets. There are two 

 variations from this type. 



a. 'Ostrich Plume' or 'Plume' (fig. 108, h), a hemi- 

 spherical flower with the disc almost absent and the inner 

 ray florets highly developed. 



(B. ' Hohenzollern ' (fig. 108, c), a 'Comet' with a 

 distinct disc and recurved ray florets. 



These two forms are to a large extent dependent on the 

 age of the flower ; a ' Plume ' may become a * Comet ' or 

 even a ' Hohenzollern ' as the flower expands. 

 (6) ' Victoria ' (fig. 108, e) . Habit very variable. Flower 

 held at right angles to its stalk, the closely packed ray florets 

 short, broad, and reflexed at apex. This is the most formal 

 type of aster. 



The ' Christmas Tree ' type has numerous branches drooping 

 near tip, the whole forming a pyramid. 



(c) * Chrysanthemum-flowered.' A ' Victoria ' with straight 

 florets. 



