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FIGHT FLORAL CO., Inc. 
22 W. 26th Street, New York 10, N. Y. 
MARCH 
1945 

OH-H-H./ 7 FEEL 
SO GOOD Z 
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i : 
BARNEY BONEMEAL 
Dez: 
“Lighted asters pay dividends” 
Although the use of additional light on 
Asters is an old story, the practice is not used 
to any great extent. Yet it enables the operator 
to speed up production at little additional cost 
and inconvenience. Whether Aster cloth is 
available or not, it is quite possible to grow 
Asters for a July crop this Spring. The use of 
cloth will eliminate the danger of yellows and 
will produce longer stems and higher quality. 
But even without the cloth a good crop may 
be produced if precautions are taken to spray 
the plants often enough to keep leaf hoppers 

down. ‘These are the spreaders of the *‘yel- 
lows.” Besides, earlier production reduces 
some of the infestation. 
The method has been described often 
enough, but we repeat because so many people 
fail to remember from year to year. We were 
almost shocked last year to note in a contem- 
porary publication by another seedsman that 
after some ten years or more of the advocacy 
of the method, it was prescribed as something 
‘fresh out of the oven.”’ Anyway, sow the seed 
about March 15 (depending on date of plant- 
ing outdoors). Prick off into bands or pots or 
directly into flats and a few days after start to 
light. You can use 25-watt lamps, spaced 
5 feet apart and suspended about 2 feet above, 
for four to five hours each day beginning at 
dusk. Continue lighting until the plants are 
set out of doors. Actually the additional light 
is given daily for about four to five weeks. 
Hence if you count back from the safest day of 
setting outdoors, you'll arrive at the time of 
sowing seed and lighting. The suggestion for 
sowing seed March 15 is based on the setting 
out date of about May 7 or 8. Lighted and 
treated in this fashion, the Royals will be 
ready to cut about the first week in July. — 
A note of warning should be sounded in con- 
nection with Aster growing. Most varieties 
are subject to wilt despite claims to the cons 
trary. We know of only one strain which really 
is strictly wilt resistant (Tilford’s, Ohio strain) 
but it is not for sale as yet. Hence every pre- 
caution should be used to reduce disease. The 
wilt organism enters the plants through in- 
juries of roots and stems. As a consequence 
it is safer to grow the plants in pots rather 
than in bands or flats, because little disturb- 
ance and breakage of roots takes place when 
planting. Of course, where soil sterilization is 
feasible, wilt is reduced to the minimum. 
In growing the Asters after planting, do not 
pinch the center flower. Disbudding of stems, 
if labor permits, is advisable so as to have only 
one flower per stem. The average number of 
