CHINA ASTER. 
187 
CHINA ASTER. 
VARIETY. 
The numerous family of radiated flowers 
were named Aster from the Greek word signi¬ 
fying Star. Our European gardens are in¬ 
debted for the China Aster to Father d’lncar- 
ville, a Jesuit missionary, who, about the year 
1730 , sent seeds of it to the royal garden at 
Paris. At first the plants produced only single 
flowers of one uniform colour; but, through 
cultivation and change of soil, double varieties 
were obtained, and so diversified in colour that 
they form one of the principal ornaments of our 
parterres from July to November; and the 
China Aster is thence made the emblem of 
variety. In like manner, study is capable of 
multiplying without limit the graces and refine¬ 
ments of the uncultivated mind. Brilliant and 
majestic, the Aster does not pretend to rival 
the rose, but it succeeds her, and consoles us in 
autumn for her absence. 
