56 Knight & Struck Company 
Seeds of Annuals 
Heatherhome Asters 
There are some garden flowers whose effect when in bloom borders c m the spectacular 
When we think of asters, we see a glorious blaze of color in the garden and at once we think 
of the early fall, for that is the season of the Asters. But not only are th^y effective garden 
plants, they are one of the most lasting cut-flowers. For many reasons they could justly bo 
entitled “The Chrysanthemum of Summer,” for the improved forms defy i n fantastic appear¬ 
ance, as well as in size, some of the varieties of the “Queen of Autumn.” Unfortunately, Asters 
do not flourish in all soils or locations, but wherever they do succeed they are simply glorious. 
The apparent failures we believe can be turned to success by the following Suggestions: Asters 
are troubled either by diseases, such as blight and yellows, or by an insect o a llcd Aster-beetle. 
The beetle can readily be fought by spraying with “Aphine,” a most effective remedy against 
this insect. This should be done as soon as plants are set out, and the spraying must be re¬ 
peated at least once a week until the flowering season has well progressed. Personally the 
writer suggests hand picking of insects early in the morning, for every one killed this season 
relieves one of hundreds which would come next year. Whenever the plants become affected 
with one or the other disease, the plants so affected should be promptly sprayed with “Fun- 
gine.” In the fall of that season the soil should be treated with a thorough application of air- 
slaked lime. Stable manure of any kind should be avoided, and in place fertilizers, such as 
wood-ashes and ground bone, should be used as food. A new bed or location should be selected 
each year, and one should return to the same soil only once in three years. 
There are entirely too many forms and types offered in the seed books of to-day, and to our 
mind an intelligent selection by a non-professional gardener is simply impossible. In fact 
most lists are bewildering and confusing to the layman’s mind. We believe that we solve the 
problem by limiting our list to those that we offer here, because they, in our opinion, comprise 
all the Asters worth growing. We offer the best and these only, and that constitutes “Ilcather- 
home Service.” Asters, in order to come early into bloom, should either be sown in the house 
in early March or in the hotbed during April. The writer has grown some beautiful Asters 
from seeds sown out of doors as late as June 5th. The flowers appeared in September, a little 
later than the ones started in the house, and in consequence made the season longor. For a 
continuous blooming Aster season it is suggested to sow seeds of the early midseason, and late 
Asters at every instance a sowing is made, first in the house, then in the hotbed, and finally 
out of doors. Asters love food, and pulverized sheep manure is the one food they like most. 
The Rarest Gladioli, We Sell Them 
