Lilac Descriptions 
Many of the peculiarities of any variety of Lilac are easily 
described. One can tell at a glance whether the florets are 
single, semidouble, or double, or whether the panicles are 
simple or compound, long or short, loose or compact. 
But when it comes to color probably no two persons would 
name exactly alike the colors of any dozen varieties of Lilacs. 
A little explanation may help to interpret our descriptions. 
When we say a Lilac is red, we do not mean that it is scarlet; 
_or, when we say it is blue, we do not mean sky-blue, as an 
occasional customer seems to expect. The truth is, the colors 
of all Lilacs are soft. They are made up of different propor- 
tions of blue and red with more or less addition of white. If 
the red predominates in the light shades, we may call the 
color pink or rose. If the blue predominates decidedly, we 
may call the color blue; but if the blue while dominant is 
less pronounced we may call it lavender or lilac or violet’ or 
mauve. 
In the dark colors, if the red predominates decidedly we 
may call it red, as with Reaumur. If the blue predominates 
we call it purple. Then to be more definite we sometimes say 
reddish purple or purplish red. 
It must be remembered also that, aside from the difficulty 
of getting an exact name for the normal color of a variety, 
this color may change somewhat with the season. For example, 
this year we had cool, cloudy, and rainy weather throughout 
the Lilac season. Consequently, the colors were all darker 
than usual. The character of the soil also sometimes changes 
the color slightly. 
We make our descriptions as clear as we can, but we under- 
stand how difficult it is for a purchaser who cannot visit a 
Lilac field during the blooming season to make his selection. 
However, we list only good varieties, those that should give 
much pleasure to those who plant them. 
PESTS 
Oystershell scale and the Lilac borer are about the only en- 
emies of the Lilac. For oystershell scale use as a spray lime- 
sulphur. Use liquid lime-sulphur in preference to dry at the 
rate of 1 part to 7 parts water. Lime-sulphur spray should be 
applied just as the buds are beginning to show green. 
' The Lilac borer is best handled by prevention. If bushes 
are kept well cultivated and growing, there is but little borer 
trouble. Where the borer is at work, he may be taken and 
killed by running a small wire into the hole and twisting it 
around to accomplish this. One can also shoot carbon bisul- 
phide into the furrow of the borer with a medicine or fountain 
pen dropper; then plug up the entrance with putty. 
FERTILIZERS 
A Lilac likes a sweet soil and responds wonderfully to appli- 
cations of lime. Use 4 quarts of lime to a large bush each year 
if you have an acid soil. Otherwise lime is unnecessary. All 
seed houses usually carry lime or your County Agent may be 
able to give you this information. Any good: well-balanced 
fertilizer can be used with good results. 
Heavy applications of well-rotted barnyard manure every 
year covering the ground about the bushes is best. 
MILDEW ON LILACS 
_ We have inquiries from our customers as to what to do when a white 
substance: appears over the leaves of their Lilacs. This is mildew, a 
trouble to which the Lilac is subject all over the country. It is caused 
by weather conditions. Spray your Lilacs five or six times during the 
season beginning about a month after growth has started and at inter- 
vals of about three weeks with a Bordeaux spray. The spray must be 
applied before trouble sets in or it will do no good. 


Why Lilacs May 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 leaving 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 sep- 
arated 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 receive a setback from this exposure 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 fill- 
ing in the hole dirt may have been pulled in over the roots and so re- 
duced the vitality of the plant as to check its right growth for several 
years. 
3. The bush may be planted too close to large old shrubs or large 
trees, in soil robbed of its nourishment by their roots. Lilacs are slow 
in making a start in such a location and seldom amount to anything. 
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 better 
than we. We have no further information to offer. 
Special Lilac Offer 
We wish to here call attention to the Collection of Lilacs 
offered on pages 6 and 7 of this catalog. This collection is 
made up of all top notch varieties. Every Lilac in the col- 
lection is a Lilac Masterpiece. There are no better varieties 
in the world and very few more as good. 
It Is the Finest Collection We Have Ever Offered. 
If You Purchase It, You Will Have the Best. 
We Have Only 15 of These Collections To Offer So 
Order Early. 
PRINTEDINU.S.A. BY A.B. MORSE COMPANY, ST. JOSEPH, MICHIGAN 
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