December 1, 1888. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
209 
wood. I am not in favour of extra large blooms of the 
incurved section, which are only large in one way- 
diameter, for the reasons stated—they lack depth and 
solidity. My idea of an incurved bloom is one not 
great in diameter alone but deep and firm in build, 
consequently of a better shape. Such blooms are never 
seen with extra broad petals, but they carry what is 
known as a good “shoulder,'’ being rather more 
orange-shaped. Such blooms as I have described are 
the result of perfectly ripened wood and are seldom met 
with after a season like the past. Where prizes are 
offered for the premier incurved bloom in a show, this 
honour generally falls to a specimen of the character 
indicated, and not to a flower which has merely two 
points in its favour—extra width of bloom and 
broadness of florets. Blooms which are generally 
chosen for this honour are usually remarkable for 
solidity and high finish, which two latter qualities 
cannot be obtained from blooms which have extra 
broad and thin florets. The ripened character of the 
wood is the all-important factor in the production of 
blooms of the highest possible standard of excellence, 
and the complete maturation we seek is obtained, as 
far as seasons allow, by careful treatment from the 
beginning. 
The method of culture I advise as the most likely to 
obtain the desired end is that of growing the plants 
from the first stage on to the culminating point in a 
regular steady manner—not by starts and stops, such 
as applying water regularly for a time, then neglecting 
the plants for a few days. Begular attention to potting 
is important, or before they become so root-bound many 
roots must be broken in the process, causing a check to 
the steady progressive growth that is so desirable in 
plants for producing the finest blooms. Crowding the 
plants in their younger stages of growth is most hurtful, 
and antagonistic to the development of vigorous wood 
and foliage. Sufficient space should always be allowed 
the plants. When in their summer quarters they 
should be arranged in an open position where the sun 
can shine directly on them, but the position should be 
protected from north, east, and south-westerly winds, 
which are often so destructive early in the season when 
the plants are first placed out of doors. Many plants 
have been so injured by a loss of their lower leaves 
during May that they have never recovered the desired 
strength. South-westerly winds, which are prevalent 
during the end of August and the early part of Sep¬ 
tember, often do much damage to the buds and leaves 
where the plants are much exposed. The flower-buds 
and their peduncles are at that time so tender that the 
skin may be much injured by being whipped about, so 
to speak, that a check occurs to the development of the 
blooms owing to the tissues being broken, thus checking 
the full and regular flow of sap. 
Some growers set too much store on plants with extra 
thick stems and gross green leaves. These are, perhaps, 
pleasant to look upon during the summer by the 
uninitiated, but when the test of good culture comes to 
be looked for, blooms possessing the desirable charac¬ 
teristics are generally missing. Yery exuberant plants 
produce blooms devoid of solidity and other essentials 
as a rule. 
It is possible to have the plants in some seasons 
ripened too much in dry localities. The summer of 
1887 was a most trying one to contend with in high 
and dry districts, where not a drop of rain fell for 
eleven weeks, and scarcely any dew during a greater 
part of that time. The remedy in this case is that of 
shading the pots from the sun during the hottest parts 
of the day, by boards set on edge in front of them, by 
Fern, coco-nut fibre, or mats. Such means keep the 
roots in a cooler state than they otherwise would be 
with the sun shining directly on the pots most of the 
day. In the absence of shade to the pots the roots on 
the sunny side are almost sure to be killed, and we all 
know what that means. Plants in low-lying districts 
invariably produce the broadest florets and the largest 
but not the best wearing blooms. The advantage of 
those which are more solid in character is often ex¬ 
emplified when the two kinds have stood two days at a 
show and borne the heat of crowded rooms. Those 
which are firm remain so longer than those which are 
more or less loose. These latter quickly show an 
“ eye,” which proves their weakness and non-sustaining 
form. 
Flower-buds are generally produced upon plants at a 
more regular time in the various stages of growth when 
the plants are steadily, hence more properly, ripened 
than when they are not, except in very high and dry 
localities, where they ripen their growth too early, 
causing premature bud formation ; this must be 
counteracted as much as possible, though it cannot 
always be prevented. Growers in the extreme southern 
counties often experience too early bud formation, 
caused by a too early ripening of the wood which their 
northern brethren are strangers to. This generally 
occurs with the whole of the Queen family, the plants 
forming flower-buds at times between the end of March 
and the same time in April, causing a serious inter¬ 
ruption in their future growth, and preventing the 
formation of buds at the time most desirable for the 
district in which the grower resides.— E. Molyneux. 
-- 
HART’S-TONGUE FERNS. 
The various forms of the Hart’s-tongue (Scolopendrium 
vulgare) are all evergreen and exceedingly numerous in 
gardens, but many of them, although most interesting, 
are more curious than beautiful. "VVe, however, give 
an illustration of the typical form by way of contrast 
Scolopendrium vulgare. 
with the crisped variety (Scolopendrium vulgare 
crispum), which is one of the handsomest forms that 
can be grown. Both may be used as window plants in 
winter, or to enliven the greenhouse when flowering 
plants are scarce. Both are strictly evergreen, even 
when grown out of doors, provided they are fairly well 
sheltered ; but as in the case of many other British 
Scolopendrium vulgare crispum. 
species, they appear to greater advantage when 
sheltered in a fernery, greenhouse, or some similar 
place. In the wild type the long strap-shaped fronds 
are flat ; but in the crisped variety, as our illustration 
shows, they are beautifully and regularly undulated, 
which gives them a crisped appearance. This hand¬ 
some variety carries great weight with it, if well grown, 
when exhibited in a collection of British Ferns. 
When grown in pots in a window or greenhouse, the 
Hart’s-tongue must not be neglected in the matter of 
water, even in winter, or it will lose its fronds. 
-—— 
LATE-FLOWERING ASTERS. 
Considering the many beautiful perennial Asters that 
have been grown in British gardens for many years, it 
is surprising and to be regretted that hardy plant lovers 
have not been more energetic in their selection of the 
best types, so as to remove the stigma which has been 
too unjustly heaped on Asters as a weedy class of 
plants. The same opprobium might be cast on any 
other large genus presenting a great variety of cha¬ 
racters. There are many really weedy Asters it is true ; 
but the most unfortunate circumstance in the case is 
that they have been widely disseminated to the exclusion 
of the finer kinds. This, no doubt, arises from the 
freedom with which they throw up suckers, and the 
facility with which they can be propagated by division 
when admirers ask for pieces, or exchanges are made 
with herbaceous plants. Most of the larger-flowered 
and more refined kinds increase very slowly, and do not 
lend themselves readily to division, but are meritorious 
enough to warrant the trouble of propagating them by 
cuttings. 
The undermentioned are select, flower iate in autumn 
till cut down by frost, and should be in every collection, 
especially where large quantities of cut blooms are 
required at a minimum cost of production. Now is 
an excellent season to plant them before the ground 
gets cooled down by the frosts of winter, as by so 
doing they get well established beforehand, and being 
well and deeply rooted before the drought of summer 
commences they are able to make better growth and 
produce a greater profusion of large flowers. Any good 
garden soil will suit them, but they should be well fed 
at the autumn or winter digging with farm-yard or 
old hot-bed manure. In selecting a situation for them, 
choose a sheltered one, as they are liable to be blown 
about and much destroyed by the fierce equinoctial 
gales in autumn, just when at their best. 
Aster Amellus commences to flower early, but 
continues to send up flowers so late in autumn that it 
may well be mentioned here, because it is one of the 
best, most popular, and bears flowers about 2 ins. in 
diameter, and of a bright violet-purple. The plant 
grows from 15 ins. to 18 ins. high, and is compact and 
bushy. A. A. bessarabicus when obtained true has 
larger and darker coloured flowers. The typical form 
of A. acris grows about 2 ft. or 3 ft. high, and bears 
terminal dense panicles of long rayed bright blue 
flowers ; it is very compact, and a most conspicuous 
object in autumn wherever grown. A dwarf variety 
is common in gardens, and often considered the type 
of the species. A narrow-leaved form, A. A. angusti- 
folius, is also very pretty and dwarf. Goldilocks, or A. 
Linosyris, also known as Linosyris vulgaris, or 
Chrysocoma Linosyris, has leafy stems somewhat 
resembling flax, and bears terminal corymbs of golden 
yellow, rayless flower heads. 
Of A. Novi-Belgii there are many forms in gardens 
under a great multiplicity of names. The more typical 
kinds are tall, ranging from 4 ft. to 6 ft. high, and are 
admirably adapted for the back row of an herbaceous 
border, the shrubbery, or the wild garden. There are 
moreover, several very fine forms, varying from pale to 
dark blue, with large flower heads, while others are of a 
rosy or lilac-purple. The dwarf forms are, however, 
more choice, but difficult to obtain by name, owing to 
the numerous synonyms by which they are hampered 
in gardens, A. N.-B. lrevigatus grows about 18 ins. 
in height, and bears terminal panicles of warm rosy 
flowers in great profusion ; and is generally grown 
under the name of minimus. A. N.-B. densus, better 
known under the name of A. ltevis, is equally, 
if not more floriferous, and produces dense terminal 
panicles of bright blue flower heads having a very 
cheerful appearance. It generally ranges from 2 ft. to 
2| ft. in height. A. N.-B. grandiflorus, also known as 
A. longifolius grandiflorus, grows from 4 ft. to 5 ft. in 
height, and develops terminal panicles 1 ft. to 2 ft. 
long, of large blue flowers shaded with purple, and is 
certainly worth cultivating. 
Akin to the last is a group coming under A. Novie- 
Angliae, a tall, robust, very choice, late-flowering kind, 
with purple flowers. A choice variety is A. N.-A. 
pulchellus, with large purplish blue flowers, and 
dwarfer habit than the type. A. N.-A. roseus is a 
rose-coloured form. A. Drummondi has cordate or 
heart-shaped leaves, and is very distinct in that respect, 
but bears a great profusion of small white flowers, 
changing to blue, and ultimately with a purple disk. 
The stems are 4 ft. to 5 ft. high, and 2 ft. or 3 ft. of 
their length consists of a much-branched inflorescence. 
Somewhat similar is A. Shortii, with lanceolate-ovate 
leaves, and a heart-shaped base ; but the stems stand 
only about a yard high and bear a great profusion of 
larger pale lavender flowers. 
A very distinct and attractive Aster is A. amethys- 
tinus, with rather small but pretty bright amethyst- 
blue flowers crowded towards the apex of the lateral 
branches. The typical form flowers rather early, and 
is superior to a variety which flowers very late, and 
is sometimes grown under the name of A. pilosus. 
There is considerable resemblance at first sight between 
A. ericoides and A. multiflorus ; but the former is 
distinguished by its linear, lanceolate, small heath- 
like leaves, and numerous small white flowers which 
are not however crowded. The plants are very bushy 
and generally grow about 3 ft. high. A. multiflorus 
has much longer leaves, is rather taller and bears 
jianicles of densely crowded, small, but pretty white 
flowers. More popular and more frequently grown 
than either of the two last is A. versicolor, which varies 
somewhat as to height when well established, but 
specimens about 18 ins. high bear a profusion of good 
average-sized white flowers, which however soon 
change to pale purple. There are several forms of 
A. diffusus, but that known as A. d. horizontalis is the 
dwarfest and prettiest. It seldom or never exceeds 
2j ft. in height, and produces short lateral branches, 
bearing on their upper sides a wreath-like arrangement 
of small white flowers, with a lively purple disk. _ It is 
widely disseminated in gardens and much appreciated. 
