1 02 
T I I E G A R I) E N M A G A Z I N E 
March, 19 15 
Asters and Dahlias 
It is our aim to grow and have grown for 
us only the very best and Highest Grade 
Seed — both flower and vegetable — that 
experienced growers can produce. 
Franklin Park Lawn Seed 
The original formula that has made our 
Boston Parks famous. It is made up of 
all recleaned seeds of known vitality, is 
quick to germinate, is free from weed 
seeds, it starts at once. 
Our 1915 Seed Catalog Free 
Contains 208 pages of over 600 illustra- 
tions. Most of them are from photographs 
from seed or plants grown from our seeds. 
This Seed Annual free for the asking. 
DAHLIAS also you will find 30 pages 
comprising our complete list of over 600 
varieties, many new and never before 
offered. 
FOTTLER, FISKE, RAWSON CO. 
Faneuil Hall Square, Boston 
Although the black aster beetle was numerous, 
hereabouts, last summer, only three beetles found 
their way into this field. This fact alone saved 
much labor. The flowers, thus escaping the 
ravages of the beetle, were perfect in shape and 
commanded a ready sale. 
Connecticut J. Mortimer Adams. 
Two Uncommon Bulbs 
T WO varieties of bulbs which are too often 
slighted in the home garden are the Persian 
ranunculus and the St. Brigid anemone. Both 
are of easy culture with wade range of color and 
flower profusely. 
The anemone, to most people, is the dainty but 
perishable windflower such as is found growing wild. 
It masses well in the garden, but is of little or no 
value as a cut flower. The St. Brigid anemone, on 
the contrary, is as fine in the house as in the garden. 
The stems are long and well filled with a fine, feath- 
ery foliage. The flowers, which are from three to 
five inches across, resemble a double poppy and 
range in color through crimson, scarlet, pink, purple, 
blue, white, and yellow. Many of them are striped 
and marked with black or a deeper shade of the 
same color as the flower. Each day of the flowering 
season brings forth a new variety. And one of the 
beauties of this flower is its seed pod. Before it is 
entirely ripened it looks like a soft brown velvet 
cushion and acts as a foil for the brightly colored 
flowers. When ripe it bursts into a mass of white 
cotton. 
The plants can be raised from seed but are then 
more variable in color and produce a greater per- 
centage of single flowers. The bulbs are small and 
not expensive when bought by the hundred. They 
should be handled very much the same as tulips 
and hyacinths, and planted from three to four 
inches deep and four to six inches apart. The 
flowering period depends upon the time of planting, 
but bulbs put in the ground before heavy frost 
produce flowers in early spring. Or the bulbs may 
be held over until February or March and will bloom 
during the summer. They force easily, the only 
condition being that the plants must be well drained 
with excessive moisture held back until flowering 
time. Any good garden soil will grow these 
anemones, but they prefer a fresh, rather rich, well 
drained, sandy loam. 
The Persian ranunculus embraces as wide a 
range of color as the anemone with the exception of 
blue. As with the anemone, many are striped and 
spotted, making a charming variety. The flowers 
are almost round, very double, and from two to 
three inches across. The stems are about eight 
inches long and lack foliage. 
The bulbs, or tuberous roots, are even cheaper 
than those of the anemone. They look very much 
like miniature dahlia tubers and like the dahlias are 
not hardy in any of the northern states. They 
should be put in the ground in early spring as soon 
as frost has left the ground, two inches deep and 
six inches apart. The blooming period is from the 
last week of May into the first two weeks of June. 
By August the foliage is ripened off and the roots 
should then be lifted and stored in a cool shed where 
they will not freeze. The plants like a slightly 
sandy soil with plenty of water at the growing sea- 
son. The blossoming period will be lengthened 
if they can be partially shaded from the sun while in 
flower. Both anemones and ranunculus are easily 
propagated by division of roots. 
Washington. Nellie Moran. 
A New 
\ Aster 
I his new As- 
ter, named 
Miss Alice Don, 
is a most beau- 
t i f u 1 lustrous 
pink; the mas- 
sive flowers are 
carried on long strong stems, 
making them gems for cut- 
ting or bedding. We send 
One packet of this New Aster 
One packet of Red Sunflower 
One packet of Annual Lupinus 
Mailed to your address for 25 cents 
Our new big Seed Book will be sent 
FREE with this collection of seed, or 
will he mailed to you if you w rite for it. 
This is not a common seed catalogue 
but a handbook on gardening — write 
for it today. 
WEEBER & DON 
1 1 4 B. Chambers Street New York City 
Alexander’s Quality Dahlias 
THE TWENTIETH CENTURY FLOWER 
The Dahlia of to-day is of surpassing 
beauty as a single flower, exquisite for 
private gardens, charming in masses, and 
ideal for planting against shrubbery. 
Alexander’s Up=to=date Dahlias 
lead the World; because they are perfect 
in type and shape, beautiful in color and, 
most important of all — Free flowering, 
t Our many customers are satisfied; 
they receive good stock; true to 
name, and best of all — Guaranteed to Grow. 
All Flower Lovers are invited to send to the Dahlia King 
for his Free Illustrated Catalogue, which contains helpful 
descriptions and valuable cultural hints on Dahlias, Gladi- 
olus, Roses, Cannas, Peonies, and Iris. 
J. K. ALEXANDER ^ The Dahlia King.” 
27-29 Central Street, EAST BRIDGEWATER, MASS. 
The Readers’ Service gives infor- 
mation about Real Estate, 
DAHLIAS 
Over 100 Magnificent, New Varieties 
originated by 
myself are put 
on the market 
in 1915 for 
the first time. 
I grow over 
1 000 varie- 
ties of dahlias. 
Catal ogue 
free. 
Geo. L. Stillman 
Dahlia Specialist 
Box C-5, Westerly 
New Paeony-Flowered Dahlia, Loveliness Rhode Island 
Write to the Readers' Service for information about live stock 
