973 
THE QARDBNING WORLD. 
December 23, 1905. 
Asters or ^ ^ ™ e true 
- - - QUEEN OF THE 
AVlCli AE LA AS Da I SI ES. a ™ 
Everyone is becoming so enlightened that it 
is hardly necessary to use the term Michael¬ 
mas Daisy when referring to this great 
autumn flower. Hitherto we had heard it 
stated that the Dahlia was queen of the 
autumn. The early ’Mum also shared m the 
title, hut considering the fact that these two 
flowers are in bloom in August and Sep¬ 
tember. I am disposed to think they are really 
late summer flowers. 
Of course, if we alter the calendar, things 
can be made satisfactory, but as it not in¬ 
frequently happens that a stiff frost comes m 
September or early October before autumn 
has passed, I fail to see how Dahlias or even 
’Mums can claim to be outdoor queens ot 
autumn. But Asters seem quite indifferent 
to weather. True, a sharp frost singes the 
expanded flowers, but there are such myriads 
that it makes no visible difference. 
On the evening of October 16th we had 
15 degrees of frost, followed by a week s 
freezing every night, yet at the time of 
writing (October 31st) we have sheaves of 
Asters. 
* The ’Mums are giving a few sickly blooms, 
the tips of the petals being brown, owing to 
being frosted in the bud stage, but A. poly- 
phyllus and a- host of others are flowering 
grandly. 
Indeed, were it not for the Asters, our 
garden would look extremely dull and dreary. 
The millions of falling leaves, the present 
soaking rains, and the filthiness under foot 
does not enchant one, so it is with some thank¬ 
fulness that we gaze upon the bright nodding 
Asters. 
The varieties now in bloom are A. Trad.es- 
canti—a dainty little white is this—and A. 
ericoides, positively delightful in its dwarf¬ 
ness and its numerous white flowers. A. poly- 
phyllus is a tall sort, bearing vast numbers 
of white flowers in October and November. It 
is subject to mildew, however. 
A. floribundus is a tall grower, and its blue 
flowers in dense corymbs are grand. It belongs 
to the Novi-Belgii class. Pluto is almost 
identical with it ; indeed, I should hesitate 
to say it was not synonymous. Calliope has 
spreading branches bearing mauvy - pink 
flowers of large size, and it makes a great show 
at the end of October-. 
A. cordifolius giganteusis quite a recent sort, 
and a grand addition it makes. The flowers 
are blush colour, and are borne very freely. 
A. cordifolius Dandy is almost over, but it 
has been lovely. It grows 3gft., the small 
flowers being lavender coloured. H. J. Jones 
is a fairly tall sort, bearing grand blush white 
flowers in great numbers, and its consort, Mrs. 
H. J. Jones, with its starry rich mauve 
flowers, is one of the finest of all late 1 flowers. 
Thirza is fairly dwarf, but its beautiful 
pinkish flowers are most effective for cutting, 
and it is in great demand for that purpose. 
Lil Fardel bears many large flowers, but- they 
want bright weather to open them. The deep 
pink shade is not met with in any other sort. 
Delight is just beginning to fail, not because 
it has been long in flower, but its beautiful 
dense sprays of small white flowers attract the 
decorator more than most varieties. Its 
height is less than 3ft. The .Pearl is a 3ft. 
sort, bearing white flowers in great quantities, 
a really lovely thing. 
Ryecroft Purple is assuredly one of the best 
purples going, and it is a credit to Mr. H. J. 
Jones, who has done so much for this class of 
flower. Many of the finest sorts in commerce 
have originated at Ryecroft. A. dilfusus hori- 
zontalis is a glorious thing, though by no 
means new. Its great spreading stems are 
simply sheets of rosy flowers. A. diff. pendu- 
lus is much taller, and comes later with me, 
but it is a delightful variety for November. 
The long sprays are covered with white 
flowers. 
Miss Gainsford runs to 4ft., and truly it 
stands as one of the best and free-blooming, 
the flowers being rich mauve. It is one of my 
favourites. 
(To be concluded.) 
CULINARY 
PEAS. 
Hqw to Secure a Succession of Crops. 
This valuable crop is undoubtedly one of 
the most important of the whole year, and it 
should be the ambition of all gardeners to 
procure an unbroken supply over as long a 
period as possible, striving to get an early 
dish in spring. Peas are not by any means 
a hard vegetable to grow. It is an easy 
matter for anyone to grow Peas when the 
weather is mild and more moist during spring, 
but to keep an unlimited supply during the 
long spells of drought usually experienced in 
summer some forethought is necessary. The 
preparation of the ground, the selection of 
varieties, and the time and method of sowing, 
all help to keep the one aim in view,' and to 
this my few notes will chiefly allude. About 
the end of October a sowing may be made in 
7in. pots, in a compost of good loam with a 
small proportion of rotten manure. 
Thoroughly crock the pots, as too much or 
too little water is fatal to them, avoiding 
cold draughts at all times. Sow about eight 
Peas in a pot, and cover thinly, allowing for 
a top dressing when growing strongly away. 
Keep near the glass, air on all favourable 
occasions, and stake with twiggy birch to pre¬ 
vent plants bending over. After the blooms 
are well set liquid may be given with an oc¬ 
casional sprinkling of artificial manure. Suit¬ 
able varieties for pot culture are Chelsea Gem, 
Harbinger, Little Marvel, and Green Gem. 
For first early gathering from the outside 
borders, Peas may be sown the middle of 
January in long, narrow boxes, with sliding 
or portable bottoms made expressly for this 
purpose, compost as before stated, and cover 
with fine soil. Place on a mild hotbed and 
keep close until germination takes place, 
when gradually harden and give all air when 
possible. Towards the end of March the site 
should be chosen on a border facing south 
for preference. A trench should be taken out 
at the requisite depth, allowing for the Peas 
to be a little below the level of the soil. 
Place the boxes in the trench, and carefully 
remove the bottoms, letting the soil slip 
through ; make the soil quite firm all round, 
earth up, stake, and protect by means of nets 
at one time. Mice should be carefully 
trapped. Ply the Dutch hoe frequently be¬ 
tween the rows. A few suitable varieties for 
this purpose are:—Little Marvel, Chelsea 
Gem, Gradus, Thomas Laxton, and William 
the First. 
For the general cultivation of Peas in the 
open it is absolutely necessary that the pre¬ 
paration of the ground should be of the first 
importance. Thoroughly well trench and 
incorporate a good layer of rotten manure for 
the heavier soils. On light sandy soils 
trenches are usually taken out and a thick 
layer of manure placed in the bottom, placing 
thereon a few inches of soil, sowing the seed 
on this and finally covering about 3in. deep, 
keeping the rows a little below the level of 
the soil for the convenience of applying 
heavy drenchings of manure water during hot 
weather. Peas require a free, cool root run, 
as deep as possible, whereby they may stand 
the drought. A good mulching of manure 
will help conserve the moisture. Keep free 
from weeds, and in the evenings after hot days 
a. good syringing will prove most beneficial. 
Should mildew appear give a good dusting 
with flowers of sulphur in early morning when 
wet with de-w, and this will help hold the 
disease in check. On some soils Peas are 
often sown in November and December, but 
on heavy land it is deferred until early in the 
year, taking advantage of the first oppor¬ 
tunity when the soil is in a fit state to be 
worked. Drills should be drawn with the 
hoe about 3in. deep, and the distance be¬ 
tween the rows should be about 6in. more 
than the height of the Peas sown, the rows 
running north and south if possible. They 
may be sown a little thicker to allow for 
losses, but thin out if nearer than 3in. apart, 
as nothing is gained by overcrowding. If the 
seed be left over the winter an early start 
should be made in January, when the weather 
permits. Successional sowings should be 
made about every fortnight or three weeks, 
according to the amount of ground at com¬ 
mand and quantity required, starting with 
the earliest, mid-season, and late varieties to 
keep up the supply. A few varieties in 
order of earliness are:- William the First, 
Little Marvel, Chelsea Gem, Gradus, and 
Sutton’s Early Giant. For mid-season sup¬ 
plies Carter’s Daisy, Sutton’s Dwarf De¬ 
fiance, and Webb’s Senator are suitable. For 
main crop 1 and late use Duke of Albany, 
Glory of Devon, The Gladstone, Webb’s 
Masterpiece, A Carter’s Michaelmas, and 
Veitch’s Autocrat might be sown about the 
first week in July for latest use until cut 
down by frost. A. G. S. 
The Orange. —Historians tell us that the 
Orange was first grown in India. Then it 
spread to Western Asia, and reached Spain 
and Italy between the eleventh and fourteenth 
centuries through the agency of the Moors, 
and the Crusaders. It is now cultivated in 
nearly all tropical and sub-tropical lands. 
This country gets its supply practically from 
a few sources only—the West Indies, Spain, 
the Azores, and Palestine. Those from the 
West Indies (the Jamaicas) begin to arrive in 
September, and finish in March; Spanish 
Oranges' or Valencias start in November and 
continue till July, whilst the Jaffas from 
Palestine reach here in December and last till 
J line. 
Do Plants Feel? —Lecturing on “Sensa¬ 
tion in Plants,” Mr. James Aimer compared 
the remarkable movements in plants to those 
in animals deprived of their brains, and held 
that the lack of any power of co-ordination in 
plants, such as that possessed in animals, 
seemed to answer in the negative the question, 
“ Do plants feel ? ” 
