s 
V i c X ’ s * F1 o r a 1 * Gf u i d e. 
ANTIRRHINUM. 
1 he Antirrhinum, perhaps better known by its old 
and popular name, Snapdragon, is one of the very best 
of our Perennials, blooms abundantly the first summer 
until after frost, and if not too much exhausted, flowers 
well the second summer, and even longer. By remov¬ 
ing a portion of the flower stems in the summer the 
plants will throw up young, strong shoots by autumn, 
making vigorous plants that will endure safely almost 
any winter. The Antirrhinum is one of our most satis¬ 
factory plants. When plants are weakened by too pro¬ 
fuse flowering the first summer, they suffer during hard 
winters, but when checked as we have advised, and no 
seed allowed to form, they will do well the second and 
even the third summer. 
Antirrhinum Firefly, orange and scarlet, with 
white throat, . 5 
Brilliant, scarlet and yellow,. 5 
Galathe, crimson, throat white ; large. 5 
White-flowered, white; not showy, but good, 5 
papillionaceum, blood red, throat pure white, . 5 
caryophylloides, irregularly striped,. 5 
Tom Thumb, about 6 inches high : mixed colors 5 
Best and brightest varieties mixed . 5 
ASTER. 
No flower is more popular than the Aster, and few 
have held so high a place in popular esteem for so many 
years, and it is still growing in favor. For an autumn 
show of flowers, we were about to say, we have not its 
equal, but we are reminded that when we get enthusias¬ 
tic over any of our special favorites, we are ready to say 
the same thing about a good many, like the mother, of 
each of her children. Perhaps we can safely say that 
for an autumn display it has no successful rival among 
the Annuals. Give the Aster a deep, rich soil, and 
mulching with coarse manure is very beneficial; and if 
extra fine flowers are needed for exhibition or any other 
purpose, a little liquid manure occasionally will give the 
most gratifying results. Plants may be grown in the 
hot-bed, cold-frame, or a seed-bed in the garden, but to 
obtain good flowers the Aster plant must be strong and 
“stocky.” A plant that is what the gardeners call 
“ drawn” will never produce very fine flowers. A 
“ drawn” plant is one that, by being crowded in the 
seed-bed, or some other cause, has become tall, slender 
and weak. The Aster transplants easily. Twelve 
inches apart is the proper distance for making a showy 
bed of the large varieties : the dwarf kinds may be set 
six inches or less. It is not best to have Asters flower 
too early in the season, and there need be no haste in 
starting seed in the spring, for the Aster, like the Dah¬ 
lia, is essentially a fall flower, and the flowers are 
always the largest and most perfect and enduring in the 
showery weather and cool, dewy nights of autumn. 
The tall varieties with large flowers need a little sup¬ 
port, or during storms of wind and rain they are often 
blown down and their beauty destroyed when in full 
blossom. Set a stake in the ground near the stem, so 
that its top is only about two-thirds the height of the 
plant, then fasten the main branches to this stake by 
means of loops, but do not pass the string around the 
whole plant. We give engravings in which we have 
endeavored to show the habits of several varieties, but, 
of course, in so small a space could do the plants nothing 
like justice. 
Aster, Truffaut’s Paeony-flowered Perfection, 
large, beautiful flowers, petals long ; a little re¬ 
flexed ; 2 feet in height ; mixed colors, .... 15 
Truffaut’s Paeony-flowered Perfection, same 
as above, in twelve separate colors, and very 
true to color; each color, . 15 
New Rose, 2 feet in height ; robust ; large flow¬ 
ers, petals finely imbricated and of great sub¬ 
stance; one of the very best; mixed colors, . . 15 
New Rose, twelve separate colors—white, crim¬ 
son, violet, etc., each color,. 15 
Cocardeau, or New Crown, two colored flow¬ 
ers, the central petals pure white, sometimes 
small and quilled, surrounded with large, flat 
petals of a bright color ; 18 inches ; mixed colors, 10 
Cocardeau, or New Crown, carmine, violet, 
blue, deep scarlet, violet brown, etc., each with 
white center; each variety, . 10 
New Paeony-flowered Globe, the earliest of 
the Asters — two weeks earlier than Truffaut’s 
Paiony-flowered ; flowers very large; plant 
branching and strong; does not require support, 10 
New Victoria, flowers large ; habit pyramidal ; 
2 feet high ; one of the finest : mixed colors, . 15 
Washington, the largest Aster we have ever 
known, and we have exhibited them five 
inches in diameter and perfect; mixed colors, 25 
Hedge-Hog, or Needle, petals long, quilled, 
and sharply pointed ; two feet; mixed colors, 15 
Imbriquc Pompon, very perfect; almost a globe 
and beautifully imbricated ; mixed colors, . . 10 
Diamond, is a comparatively new Aster of the 
Dwarf Imbrique class. Plants eighteen inches 
in height, very robust, blooms freely, flowers 
perfect and compact, large ; mixed colors, . . 15 
Half Dwarf multiflora mauve, one of thebest, 
about 15 inches in height, of fine form ; flowers 
perfect and abundant, delicate white and mauve, 15 
New Chrysanthemum - flowered Dwarf, a 
desirable class, 1 foot in height; late, and valu¬ 
able on this account, as well as for its great 
beauty ; mixed colors, . 15 
Chrysanthemum-flowered Dwarf, White, 
a superb variety ; every flower usually perfect, 15 
Newest Dwarf Bouquet, each plant looks like 
a bouquet of flowers ; fine for edging or small 
beds ; about 12 different colors mixed, .... 15 
