flight &. Stru 
Qompani^ 
Seeds of Perennials 
Asclepias (Butterfly or Milkweed or The Swallow Wort) 
Nat. Ord. Asclepia 
A creeping plant unless staked; loves a fairly moist soil with partial shade; 
during July and August it bears umbels of showy bright orange-colored flowers 
which afterward form into a seed pod resembling an okra. In September these 
seed pods burst open, and show a white, woolly substance, which gives it a very at¬ 
tractive appearance. Space when staked, 1 foot; otherwise, 2 feet; height, 2 feet. 
8150. — Tuberosa.Pkt., $ .10 
Hardy Asters (Michaelmas Daisies) 
Nat. Ord. Compositae 
Is it because the Aster is a native of this country that it is not as fully ap¬ 
preciated as it should be, or is it because the real, hardy Aster of to-day is not 
known in its wonderful improvement? Up-to-date sorts are defying Chrysanthemums 
in fall effect. One thing is certain in the writer’s mind, that the possibility of this 
flowor has been totally neglected by the American gardener. Here is a flower that 
can, with the greatest ease, be increased so that, from a few plants in the beginning, 
in a few years one can count several hundreds, and just imagine the splendid use 
they can be put to. They will grow without any care in either full sunlight or par¬ 
tial shade, in both poor or rich soil, in wet or dry soil; never know insects or 
diseases. They can be used with shrubberies or in rockeries or in hardy borders; 
they are specially fine with background of dark Conifers. We can all duplicate the 
beautiful roadways of New England by using our surplus from our gardens and ap¬ 
plying it to our highways. Irregular groupings of one color in the lawn facing tall 
shrubs adds beauty to the landscape. Unsightly ditches or objectionable places can 
be made things of beauty, and last, but not least, they are a splendid cut flower for 
small or large vases. Previously, I have referred to the more up-to-date varieties, 
which are a perfect revelation when compared with the wild sorts. Like clouds of 
dainty and brightly colored flowers appear the masses of one single plant. The in¬ 
dividual blossoms have been doubled, yes trebled, in size, and the prevailing newer 
varieties appear in the richest of colors. From the softest pink to the deepest crim¬ 
son, from the most delicate lavender down to the darkest purple and pure white, and 
no more need we wait until autumn before we .see its glory, but some varieties flower 
in Juno and others again in July. 
8176. — Sub-Coeruleus. Of distinct form and habit and unusually attractive. It 
is fairly new and little known, and its popularity is simply a question of 
time and getting better known. A small bushy plant, never exceeding, with¬ 
out flowers, more than 1 foot in height or width, it is splendid for edging 
borders or in rockeries. The flowers, measuring fully 2 inches across, are 
borne on eight straight individual stems, and are composed of long, narrow 
raylets of a most beautiful amethyst blue, which surround a golden disc. 
Just picture this color combination in your mind, and if your enthusiasm can 
remain dormant you miss the greatest joy in a gardener’s life. The stems 
of these flowers are wiry and strong and are from 12 to 18 inches long, so 
that the flowers are an exceptionally fine subject for cutting. The flowers 
appear about the middle of May, and constantly reappear, until the latter 
part of June. This brings us to the Rose season, and, as a suggestion we 
might submit a vase filled with the rose Mrs. John Laing and associate it 
with this lovely Aster ... Pkt., $ .25 
Please Order by Numbers only. 
