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WHY LILACS FAIL TO BLOOM 
We are asked a number of times during the course of the year, 
“Why do my Lilacs fail to bloom?” 
It is impossible to answer this question satisfactorily by letter. 
There are a number of reasons why Lilacs fail to bloom. We 
cannot tell which special reason is applicable in each individual 
case. We are giving a number of causes in this catalog and leav- 
ing you to decide which of these fit your individual problem. 
We have no difficulty here at the nursery. Our plants are 
loaded with flowers each year and if your plants are not giving 
satisfactory bloom, some one of the following causes must be 
responsible. 
1. Your plants may not have been handled carefully enough when you made 
your planting. The roots may have been exposed to the air and some of the 
vitality of the plant weakened. A bundle of Lilacs comes to you and this 
bundle is often opened up and the plants separated and looked over. Then they 
are laid out in the sun or shade while the holes for them are dug and the 
planting goes on. The plants grow but they received a setback from this ex- 
posure of the roots and it often takes 2 or 3 years to overcome this mistreatment. 
2. It may be the roots were not spread out carefully and soil packed tightly 
about them at planting time. The roots may have become jammed in a cramped 
and twisted mass in the hole, and growth stunted. In filling in the hole dry 
dirt may have been pulled in over the roots and so reduced the vitality of the 
plant as to check its right growth for several years. 
3. The young plant may be planted so close to trees or larger shrubs as to 
rob it of much of its vitality. 
4. It may be in too much shade or in dry gravelly soil. Lilacs like a rich 
heavy soil but not a wet acid soil. 
5. It may be your plants are making altogether too much growth and that 
such growth needs checking. Or they may have formed-a great mass of heavy 
branches from the ground with a tremendous branchy top growth and have 
reached a point where they have stopped going forward and produce no bloom. 
If your plants are making a very rapid growth, sending out long new shoots 
with no bloom, go through your plants about the middle of June and trim out 
about one-half of the new growths back to the old wood. This will have a 
tendency to cause blooming buds to set on the balance of the new growth for 
the next year, If your bushes have a great many branches from the ground and 
many short top branches go through your plants in March in the north or .- 
earlier in the south (before the sap starts) and cut out about one-half of the 
old branches to the ground. This will cause a new growth which no doubt will 
bring the plant into heavy blooming. 
Now any of the foregoing causes might be the reason your Lilacs are not 
blooming. You are in a position to analyze your difficulty much better than we. 
We have no further information to offer. 
A tag giving full directions for the planting and care of your Lilacs is 
attached to every order of Lilacs that leaves our packing department. Watch 
for this card. Read it carefully before you open your package and then follow 
directions.. Keep this card in your files and consult it if you need our advice. 
a) 
JULES SIMON. D. An erect growing variety with very clean limbs and 
a heavy, clean, light green foliage. Expanding buds show much bright 
intense rose. Opening truss becomes a very rich clear velvety light 
blue. 2 to 3 ft., $2.00; 3 to 4 ft., $2.50 
KATHARINE HAVEMEYER. D. A splendid Lilac which we like more 
and more the longer we have it. It is always an outstanding variety 
among all our plantings. Trusses are immense, very full double, very 
rich and of a most beautiful mauve-pink. A very thrifty bush. One 
of the most persistent of bloomers. Nearly every 3- to 4-foot bush 
bloomed in the nursery row in 1938. One 4-foot plant had 18 large 
trusses and 3 small ones. 2 to 3 ft., $3.50; 3 to 4 ft., $5.00 
LEON GAMBETTA. D. Panicles of the greatest size. Buds and reverse 
of petals very pink, which gives the flower a general pink effect. Deep 
pink buds open into very double little roselike florets of the daintiest 
pink and lavender. We still say it is the finest of all Lilacs and we want 
to emphasize this. There are many fine Lilacs, but we believe this is 
the most beautiful of all. 2 to 3 ft., $4.00; 3 to 4 ft., $5.00 
LUCIE BALTET. S. A fine coppery old rose, entirely unlike any other 
Lilac in color. This variety is as distinct among Lilacs as the Peony, 
Walter Faxon, is among Peonies. We have tried for many years to 
propagate this fine Lilac in sufficient quantity to supply the demand, 
but the many visitors who come to our nursery during Lilac season 
usually purchase our available stock. However, this fall, we hope to 
supply everyone who orders with a fine 2- to 3-ft. plant. Orders 
filled in turn as we receive them. 2 to 3 ft., $5.00 
MACROSTACHYA. S. In our show garden this variety is growing 
along with Lucie Baltet, and both of these varieties instantly arrest 
the eye of every visitor who comes to the nursery during the bloom- 
ing season. This is a very fine light pink single with immense panicles. 
This is a true light pink while Lucie Baltet is a real coral-pink. A 
lovely variety. 2 to 3 ft., $3.00; 3 to 4 ft., $3.50 
FARIBAULT , MINN. 
MARECHAL LANNES. D. One of the most sensational and choicest of 
the entire list of French Lilacs. The panicles are large and shapely, 
composed of about the largest florets found among all the Lilacs. 
Many of them are over an inch in diameter. Color of unopened buds 
is reddish violet, of the expanded florets campanula-violet. Mrs. 
Harding says of this Lilac: “A beautiful and wonderful Lilac.” ; 
2 to 3 ft., $4.00; 3 to 4 ft., $5.00 
MARIE LEGRAYE. S. A creamy white with large panicles rather open- 
ly built. The individual florets are very large. Blooms profusely, 
often as a 2-year-old. Sells very readily at a good price as cut flower. 
2 to 3 ft., $1.00; 3 to 4 ft., $1.50 
MARLEYENSIS. S. One of the most floriferous of all the Lilacs we 
have. A dwarf fora Lilac, the bush seldom growing over 5 feet high. 
In blooming time absolutely covered with medium sized panicles so 
thick as to leave no foliage visible. The color is a uniform deep old 
rose. It attracts the eye of every visitor. 
2 to 3 ft., $2.50; 3 to 4 ft., $3.50 
MAURICE BARRES. S. A very large single with showy, open, widely 
branched panicles. The plant is strong growing and blooms lux- 
uriantly. The general color effect is azure-lilac. A most worthy 
variety. 2 to 3 ft., $2.50; 3 to 4 ft., $3.50 
MILTON. S. One of the most floriferous of all our Lilacs. Panicles 
long, narrow, candle-like cones are held erect and cover the bush. 
The color is an even shade of light purplish red which holds well in 
the sun. A trifle late in season. 2 to 3 ft., $2.50; 3 to 4 ft., $3.50 
MISS ELLEN WILLMOTT. D. A large bush with very stout limbs and 
large, thick, light green leaves. The flowers come in immense panicles 
of creamy white, made up of double florets almost twice the size of 
those of any other double white except Edith Cavell. Plant this va- 
riety and Edith Cavell and you have the two best double whites. 
2 to 3 ft., $4.00; 3 to 4 ft., $5.00 
Our Lilac Display 
If you wish to see one of the finest displays of French Lilacs in 
the country, come to our nursery the last two weeks in May. You 
will see panicles of French Lilacs that actually measure 13 inches 
in length. Our Persian Hedge is well worth driving many miles 
to see. Our grounds are always open to visitors. At this same 
time you will also see hundreds of varieties of Iris in full bloom. 
Many people bring their cameras and take pictures of our Lilacs 
in their natural colors. 

MME. FLORENT STEPMAN. 5S. Tall, upright grower, light, clean 
foliage; long, large, extremely rich panicles. Pure white with large, 
beautiful florets. It is exceedingly fine. The panicles are so large, of 
such beautiful form, and so rich in color, we know you will like it 
for a fine single white. 2 to 3 ft., $2.50; 3 to 4 ft., $3.50 
MME. CASIMIR PERIER. D. A very free blooming white with yellow 
stamens giving it a rich creamy appearance. A very strong, thrifty 
plant and always dependable. 2 to 3 ft., $1.50; 3 to 4 ft., $2.00 
MME. ANTOINE BUCHNER. D. This variety is really a semi-double 
that we have always regarded as one of our truly great Lilacs. It is 
a late, tall growing variety, with long, shapely, open trusses. When 
seen in the bud, it is a decided deep pink, but as the florets open 
they are a pinkish white, heavily overlaid with clear rosy pink. 
2 to 3 ft., $4.00; 3 to 4 ft., $5.00 
MME. FRANCISQUE MOREL. S. Morel gave to the world one truly 
great Lilac, this one, and it is truly a masterpiece, one of the great, 
great Lilacs. A Lilac of the largest size and still a beautiful one. Great 
panicles with florets as big as a quarter. A deep purple flushed mauve- 
pink. 2 to 3 ft., $3.50; 3 to 4 ft., $5.00 
MME. LEMOINE. D. One of the best of the older whites; a snow-white 
without tinge of cream. Foliage dark green. A free blooming variety. 
2 to 3 ft., $1.00; 3 to 4 ft., $1.50 
MONGE. S. One of the newer varieties which seems to deserve the 
name of the best red Lilac. Plant habit good. A rather dwarf grow- 
er. Panicles very broad at base developing into a very nice cone. 
Color a brilliant deep rich red which holds unusually long in the sun. 
This is the brightest red Lilac. Not red-purple, but really red. If 
one likes red this is the Lilac. 2 to 3 ft., $4.00; 3 to 4 ft., $5.00 
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