THE GARDENING WORLD 
September 30, 1899 
- 74 
CHINA ASTERS AT READING. 
Some years ago we examined an extensive trial of 
China Asters at the Portland Road Nursery, of 
Messrs. Sutton & Sons, Reading. This year the 
trial has been conducted at the Trial Grounds or 
Seed Farm between London Road and the Great 
Western Railway. Some idea of the extensive nature 
of the plantation may be gleaned from the fact that 
there are close upon 500 trials. The varieties of 
China Asters are all derived from the old Callistephus 
hortensis, a dark, purple-flowered annual from 
China, and the commerce involved in its cultivation 
and dissemination broadcast over the land, con¬ 
stitute a rem arkable history attaching to a single 
flower, or species. The different garden types of 
China Aster favour their classification into sections, 
many of which are adapted for particular purposes. 
Of the dwarf bouquet Asters there are several 
varieties distinguished by such colours as white, rose, 
light blue and dark blue: and all are suitable for 
small beds owing to their dwarf habit. There are 
six varieties of dwarf Chrysanthemum Aster, and a 
similar set of a dwarf German strain, which differs 
from the former in the dwarfer habit of the plants 
and the different quality of the flowers. Carmine, 
blue and red colours as well as the above are in¬ 
cluded in these strains. Litile Gem Aster is taller 
and more bushy, the varieties being grown separate 
and in mixture. The deep crimson of Sutton's Fire 
King is unique, and conspicuous as far as the eye 
can detect it. Sutton’s Triumph comes nearest to 
it, but is not so good. Sutton’s Superb Bedding 
is a Chrysanthemum strain of Asters, notable 
for the way in which the side branches overtop 
the central flower, all being of large size and very 
showy. There are white, delicate rose, bright rose, 
scarlet, blue and lilac varieties, all suitable for 
bedding. Another useful bedding type is Snowball, 
about 6 in. high this season, and producing large 
white heads in a mass. Dwarf Border is a strain 
of Asters notable for their dwarf spreading habit, 
suitable for borders, and including several colours. 
Several of the sections are universally popular in 
gardens, and deservedly so on account of their 
general utility for garden decoration or any other 
purpose to which Asters may be put. Of dwarf 
Chrysanthemum-flowered there are twelve varieties, 
all free blooming, dwarf, showy, and deservedly 
popular. Purple-Violet is a peculiar colour, and 
Brown-Violet is a dark, rich, violet-purple; both may 
be described as extreme and unusual developments 
in colour, the rest constituting the usual run of the 
genus. Side by side with the above, on the occasion 
of our visit, was the extensive plantation of Victoria 
and Dwarf Victoria Asters, the former extending to 
100 trials, and the latter to 50, that is, 150 trials in the 
aggregate. No other statistics are necessary to 
prove the importance of these grand strains, which 
find their way into every garden. Of the first- 
named there are eight varieties in bright and hand¬ 
some colours, ranging from snow-white to the 
deepest purple. The plants stood about 12 in. high, 
notwithstanding the heat and drought ; and the large 
flowers and decisive colours sufficiently explained 
their popularity. 
A delicate colour is Salmon Queen, pale on first 
expanding, but developing to creamy-salmon. The 
most delicate shade in the whole collection was 
Flesh Colour, occurring amongst the Dwarf Victoria 
strain. The flowers are white on first expansion, but 
develop to flesh colour of a most delicate shade as 
they reach perfection. Lady in White is a strain 
with compact flower heads and imbricated white 
florets. The habit is also compact, and the plants 
dwarfer than the well-known Paeony-flowered strain, 
of which there are four varieties, ranging from 12 in. 
to 18 in. in height. The Comet strain bears the 
same relation to other China Asters as Japanese 
Chrysanthemums bear to the other sections. Of the 
Comet Aster there are dwarf and tall races, the 
latter being very fine, with white, pink, red, and blue 
varieties, having the florets edged with white in the 
case of the coloured ones. Scarlet, lilac, light and 
dark blue may also be added. The long, recurving 
florets are very graceful. 
Reading Beauty Aster is a strain in four varieties, 
namely, white, rose, dark blue, and white, with a crim¬ 
son centre, all being quilled. They grow about 18 
in. high and are branching and floriferous. The 
Jewel is the best strain of incurved Asters, and al¬ 
ready includes five colours. The quilled Victoria 
Asters constitute a well-known type, useful in vari¬ 
ous ways, and well adapted for exhibition. A new 
strain, named Long-quilled Aster, is now to be 
offered in different colours. A beautiful colour is 
presented by Sutton’s Meteor, a carmine-rose variety 
tinted with salmon. Sutton’s Silver Cloud is seen to 
best advantage when the sun is not shining upon it, 
for it is a very delicate colour, describable as pearly- 
blue. 
The Giant French Paeony-flowered Asters from 
18 in. to 20 in. in heignt, form branching speci¬ 
mens. The Cockade or Crown Aster constitutes 
another very special strain of quilled flowers in 
different colours, each having a white centre. In 
other words this is a beautiful bicolor strain. Sut¬ 
ton’s Quilled Yellow represents the deepest shade of 
yellow yet evolved amongst the China Asters. Ex¬ 
hibition Globe is one of the tallest and latest types 
of the genus Callistephus. 
The above notes were made on a burning hot day 
in August, after a long spell of the same trying 
weather; yet notwithstanding that and the dry, 
sandy soil at Reading the display was excellent, 
Every strain was remarkably true to type both in 
the colour of the flowers and the habit of the plants. 
The whole race is indeed a standing testimony to the 
art of gardening in evolving such a variety of types 
and number of different colours from one original. 
The fixation of colour and character by persistent 
selection is no less. 
Other Annuals. 
Most of the annuals grown at the Trial Grounds were 
past their best, and many bad indeed been gathered 
for seed, so that the totes we made refer to the few 
still in bloom. The Marigolds, being natives of dry 
climates, are wonderfully resistent of drought. 
Amongst these Tagetes pumila was flowering pro¬ 
fusely. The same may be said of Sutton’s Diadem 
French Marigold, a dwarf, single variety, with 
velvety-crimson flowers, edged or laced with golden 
yellow. Legion of Honour has a much broader 
golden border to the florets, and is always a useful 
edging plant. Queen of Dwarfs is a doublaMarigold 
of compact habit, with velvety-brown of the colour 
of Wallflower, laced with yellow. The orange and 
lemon varieties of African Marigold were also in fine 
form. Helichrysums were represented by Silver 
Globe, Golden Globe and Fireball, very handsome 
in the dried state as everlasting flowers ( immortelles ). 
Xeranthemum annuum superbissimum has deep 
purple flowers, which are very graceful for vases in 
the cut state. Rudbeckia Sutton’s Golden Sunset 
has a long brown disc and a crimson base to the rays. 
Brachycome iberidifolia, like a small blue Cineraria, 
kept on flowering from the beginning of July to the 
end of August. 
Some choice perennials raised from seed were also 
noted. Echinops Ritro, sown last May twelvemonth, 
had kept in bloom for six weeks. Eryngium planum 
is another popular blue-flowered subject. The 
Sand Verbena (Abronia umbellata) was flowering 
freely, and apparently delighted with the dry weather. 
The salmon-coloured Papaver pilosum was flowering 
for the second time this season. 
-» t — - 
LILIUM CANDIDUM. 
It is now over three centuries since the Madonna 
Lily was brought to England from its home along 
the southern stretches of Europe. It does not lack 
popular and beautiful names, for besides the above 
two it is known as St. Joseph’s Lily, the White 
Lily and the Bourbon Lily. Its very redundancy of 
names proves its approval by flower lovers at large. 
And these delightful names, void of all hard ring and 
scientific composition, are more persistent in the 
mind, and also are more lovingly cherished because 
of the mysticism embodied in them. This especially 
to the unlearned. But really the common White 
Lily, which is the purest flower of the June array, 
is worth all the notice given it. It cheers us in the 
garden. The bride carries it to the holy altar or 
we lay it upon the shrouds surrounding the lost 
forms who have departed this life. It is also 
the motto of purity among some eastern peoples; 
while the protestants in the North of Ireland are 
said all to have this White Lily in their gardens as a 
distinction from Roman Catholics, who favour the 
Orange Lily (L. croceum). 
L. candidum belongs to the funnel-shaped class. 
It does remarkably well on moist, rich, sandy soil, 
or among Rhododendrons, and dwarf bushes at the 
front of a shrubbery. It has often been asked 
whether the bulbs should or should not be taken out 
of the soil after the stems have died down. It is 
urged that the young bulbs which appear upon the 
top of the old ones,become exposed if the soil is light 
and yielding. Heavy soils again do not suit bulbs. 
I never have had any difficulty with the lifting or re¬ 
planting, even of this on a very light soil. The position 
they succeed best in is one which is shaded. If 
planting is to be done, then do so at once, preparing 
a good bed for the bulbs, and placing them not less 
than 4 in. deep. Replant every third or fourth 
year, and keep plenty of nourishment about them. 
Stakiug and keeping the foliage clean are points to 
bear in mind during th-ir growth. With L. long fioium 
eximium (syn. L. Harrisi) at band, no one would 
trouble to pot this lovely plant whose proper place 
is a free flower border.— J. H. D. 
NOTICES OF BOOKS. 
Wave-Way Thoughts : A Restful Hour at Kilkee, 
Co. Clare, July, 1897. By Wm. Baylor Hart- 
land, Cork. Cork: Guy and Company, Limited, 
70, Patrick Street. 1899. Price is. 
In 1894, Mr. Hartland gave us a booklet on " Way- 
side Ireland,” in which he discussed or commented 
upon what he saw while making a “Trip from Cork ; 
through Connemara, Achill Island, &c.” On this 
occasion he records his observations in blank verse, 
illustrated occasionally by quotations from several 
of the poets. There are also several beautiful bits of 
scenery reproduced from photographs taken by Guy 
in the district visited. The pamphlet is a small one, 
running only to sixteen pages, which are wide 
enough for a double column of text. The good ser¬ 
vice the previous publication effected in the districts 
visited is the author's excuse for the present one, 
which he describes as a “ restful idle hour’s recrea¬ 
tion at Look-out Point, Kilkee.” The description 
seems a contradiction in terms, but we suppose the 
body was rested while the mind was exercised upon 
a theme distinct from the ordinary cares of tending a 
nursery business. The author desires to help in 
making the natural beauty of the place known to the 
English and Scotch tourists. 
The visit to Kilkee is made after an interval of 
nearly sixty years, and the author describes some of 
the changes that have taken place, while earth, sea, 
and various aspects of Nature remain much about 
the same. While musing over a great variety of 
themes and old time memories the author notes the 
flo'wers at his feet in these terms:— 
Here turfy a' foot, and soft as.Tyrian carpet— 
Ambrosial, rich, of maritime herbage, 
Glaucous grit-loving stonecrops, 
Creeping pimpernel, mauve-blue Asters, 
Honey-scented scabious, pink of centaury, 
Golden yellow of cinquefoil I 
Cushioned and banked, with thrift and wild 
thyme; 
Innumerable studies for artist, poet, and 
botanist, 
With trowel, book, box, brush and pen, 
From the wind-scattered seeds of ages. 
Tabulated List of Orchard “Insect Pests,” 
affected by Spraying, with date of appearance 
of Egg, Larvae, &c., and the advisable washes 
and time for application. By F. V. Theobald, 
M.A., F.E.S., &c. Headley Brothers, Printers 
and Publishers, London and Ashford. Price is. 
The title page of this pamphlet of nineteen pages 
constitutes a good index of the contents. Mr. Theo¬ 
bald, who is the author of several other works, is 
geologist for the S. E. Agricultural College, Wye. 
He states in bis preface that the spraying or wash¬ 
ing of orchards for insect pests is steadily increasing 
in England, though we are yet far behind the United 
States and our colonies in this respect. All the in¬ 
sect pests of any importance that infest fruit trees in 
this country are recorded, including some that are 
quite rare, except locally, and which have proved 
sufficiently destructive in isolated places to be 
recorded as pests. In the case of these rare insects, 
he quotes the advice given in the “ Entomologist, ’ 
namely, to invite some collectors into the orchard ! 
The idea is an excellent one, and the pity is that it 
should be so little effective in the case of weeds that 
prove pests. The identification of the particular 
.pest affecting an orchard is insisted upon as all 
important, and the list in question is intended to 
assist gardeners and fruit growers to get upon the 
track of the particular pest attacking his trees or 
