October  12,  1899. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER , 
among  our  visitors.  It  must  be  slightly  flavouied  with  ginger,  and 
can  be  made  either  with  ripe  fruit  or  the  small  green  ones  at  the  end 
of  the  season  which  may  not  be  able  to  be  ripened.  The  flavour  is  a 
little  different,  but  whether  made  with  the  green  or  the  ripe  fruit,  the 
result  is  invariably  excellent.  We  have  sometimes  introduced  a  little 
Vegetable  Marrow  with  it,  and  found  it  made  a  delicious  variety.  As 
Tomatoes  ripen  very  gradually  in  a  cold  temperature  many  of  the  latest 
may  be  stored  like  Apples,  and  their  use  thus  prolonged  even  well  into 
the  winter. — J.  A.  Carnegie-Cheales. 
AMONG  THE  ASTERS. 
In  her  book,  “  Wood  and  Garden,”  Miss  Jekyll  says  of  her 
garden  of  Asters,  “  It  is  a  delightful  surprise  to  pass  through  the 
pergola’s  last  right-hand  opening,  and  to  come  suddenly  upon  the 
Michaelmas  Daisy  garden  in  full  beauty.  Its  c'ean,  fresh,  pure 
•colouring  of  pale  and  dark  lilac,  strong  purple,  and  pure  white,  among 
masses  of  pale  green  foliage,  forms  a  contrast  almost  startling  after  the 
warm  colouring  of  nearly  everything  else  ;  and  the  sight  of  a  region 
where  the  flowers  are  fresh  and  newly  opened,  aud  in  glad  spring-like 
profusion,  when  all  else  is  on  the  verge  of  death  and  decay,  gives  an 
impression  of  satisfying  refreshment  that  is  hardly  to  be  equalled 
throughout  the  year.” 
As  one  looks  now  on  the  Starworts  we  cannot  help  quoting  these 
words,  so  expressive  are  they  of  one’s  feelings  towards  the  flowers. 
Truly  refreshing  and  cheering  are  they  when  the  glory  of  summer  has 
gone,  and  chilly  days,  and  still  chillier  nights  have  come.  Little 
wonder  is  it  that  the  Starworts  are  such  favourites  now.  Yet  it  seems 
only  a  few  years  since  they  were  almost  despised  ;  only  a  short  time 
sinc9  they  once  more  found  their  way  into  good  gardens.  “  Once 
more,”  one  says  advisidly;  for  in  years  now  long  gone  by  they  were 
largely  grown  and  prized.  Although  the  gardeners  of  the  time  had 
not  many  of  the  fine  flowers  we  now  possess,  they  had  some  not  in 
our  gardens  now. 
As  a  proof  of  this,  one  has  only  to  turn  to  the  work  called 
“  Hortus  Woburnensis,”  published  in  1833,  which  names  upwards  of 
100  Asters,  which  were  at  that  time  grown  at  Woburn  Abbey,  the 
seat  of  Ihe  Duke  of  Bedford.  Some  of  these  do  not  appear  to  be 
procurable  through  the  ordinary  sources.  As  a  compensation  for  the 
absence  of  these  we  have  many  beautiful  seedlings,  which  surpass  in 
loveliness  the  original  flowers  from  which  they  sprung.  These  are 
now  so  numerous  that  only  those  who  have  large  gardens  can  hope  to 
grow  a  full  collection.  Few  things  would  give  so  much  pleasure  at  so 
small  a  cost,  and  with  so  little  trouble. 
The  perennial  Asters  are  adapted  to  many  uses.  An  Aster  garden 
is  in  late  autumn  a  real,  but  inexpensive  luxury  for  those  who  love 
flowers  and  have  space  enough.  Such  a  garden  might  be  composed 
of  beds  on  the  grass  or,  even  better,  in  exposed  places  in  a  situation 
sheltered  from  the  north  winds  by  a  wall.  This  would  protect  them 
from  the  bitter  blasts,  and  thus  prolong  their  beauty.  Failing  a  wall, 
a  belt  of  trees  would  do  much  to  keep  the  Asters  gay  long  after 
other  flowers  were  blackened  wrecks  of  their  former  charms. 
As  border  plants  they  are  indispensable  among  other  hardy  flowers, 
and  if  judiciously  arranged  so  that  they  are  distributed  in  groups  in 
the  border,  will  make  it  pleasing  at  a  time  when  it  would  be  bare  save 
for  the  starry  flowers  of  the  Michaelmas  Daisies.  Some  find  it  worth 
their  while  to  grow  the  Asters  in  the  reserve  garden  or  in  pots,  and 
to  remove  them  to  the  borders  when  some  of  the  earlier  flowers  have 
gone  out  of  bloom.  There  are  a  few,  also,  who  grow  a  few  Starworts 
in  pots  for  conservatory  decoration.  If  potted  in  good  strong  soil  and 
plunged  in  the  open  until  they  are  ready  to  bloom  the  protection 
of  the  glass  will  give  the  flowers  a  freshness  and  clearness  of  colour 
which  will  make  their  prettily  coloured  blooms  unusually  attractive. 
The  Asters  are  also  frequently  used  in  combination  with  other 
flowers  fo1’  autumn  bedding.  A  rather  common  but  pretty  effect  is 
that  made  with  Aster  novi-belgi  Isevigatus,  generally  known  as 
longifolius  formosus,  and  Chrysanthemum  Mad.  C.  Desgrange. 
Other  low  growing  Michaelmas  Daisies,  such  as  A.  amellus,  aie  also 
used  in  a  similar  manner. 
Michaelmas  Daisies  are  of  such  easy  culture  that  we  are  apt  to 
think  that  they  need  no  attention  whatever,  but  may  be  left  to  take 
their  chance  with  other  things.  This  leads  to  starved  plants  and 
inferior  flowers,  and,  in  the  case  of  those  which  are  of  stoloniferous 
habit,  an  invasion  of  the  place  wanted  for  ether  flowers,  with  the 
result  that  the  Aster  acquires  an  evil  reputation  ;  while  all  the  time 
it  is  the  grower  who  is  at  fault.  Starworts  like  a  good  soil,  deep 
cultivation,  and  plenty  of  water  during  growth.  They  well  repay  the 
■cost  and  trouble  these  involve. 
It  is  by  no  means  easy  to  name  a  selection  of  Asters  without 
omitting  many  quite  as  good  as  those  included.  The  lists  of  nursery¬ 
men  generally  give  fairly  full  descriptions,  which  will  be  a  sufficient 
guide  to  those  desirous  of  purchasing.  This  may  be  done  either  in 
autumn  or  spring. 
307 
Among  the  earlier  flowering  Asters  one  may  name  as  worth  grow¬ 
ing  the  useful  acris,  with  its  variety  dracunculoides,  which  is  taller 
and  has  darker  flowers.  The  flowers  of  acris  are  starry  in  form,  but 
are  produced  in  great  profusion.  Amellus  bessarabicus  and  the  variety 
maj:r  are  indispensable.  One  may  also  name  laevis  Arcturus,  novi- 
belgi  Isevigatus,  n.  b.  Madonna,  and  ptarmicoides. 
Coming  into  bloom  in  September  there  are  a  great  many  of  the 
finest  of  the  Starworts.  There  are,  for  example,  the  charm'mg  Coomba 
Fishacre;  the  varieties  of  cordifolius,  such  as  elegans  and  Photograph; 
the  dwarf  dumosus;  ericoides  Clio;  laevis,  and  its  variety  Harvardi; 
Lindleyanus  nanus ;  Linosyris,  the  old  yellow  “Goldilocks;”  novae- 
angliae  roseus,  ruber,  and  Wm.  Bowman,  and  too  many  varieties  of 
novi-belgi  to  select  from  without  serious  omissions.  Ceres,  Ella, 
F.  W.  Burbidge,  Irene,  John  Wood,  Margaret,  Mrs.  C.  W.  Earle, 
Robert  Parker,  and  Top  Sawyer  may  be  mentioned  as  of  high  quality. 
Then  we  have  paniculatus  W.  J.  Grant;  puniceus  pulcherrimus; 
vers  color  Themis  ;  and  vimineus  Cassiope,  all  very  fine. 
There  are  not  so  many  which  come  into  flower  in  October,  but  a 
number  of  the  earlier  Starworts  will  still  be  in  bloom  to  keep  them 
company.  We  cannot  be  wrong  in  growing  amethystinus,  diffusus 
horizon  tabs  and  pendulus,  ericoides,  laevis  Calliope,  novae-angliae 
pulchellus,  novi-belgi  Berenice  and  Maia,  Tradescanti,  and  tur- 
binellus.  Unfortunately,  one  of  the  finest,  and  the  latest  of  all — 
grandiflorus — comes  too  late  for  many  gardens  in  ordinary  seasons  and 
does  not  open.  In  fair  weather  or  foul,  in  rain  or  in  frost,  in  the 
garden  or  as  a  cut  flower,  the  Aster  will  prove  invaluable  in  its  time. — 
S.  ArnOTT. 
THE  VINE. 
Tiie  recently  formed  Kingston  and  District  Gardeners’  Mutual 
Improvement  Society  held  the  first  meeting  of  its  autumn  session  on 
Monday,  October  2nd.  A  goodly  number  of  gardeners  assembled  to 
hear  Mr.  Smith’s  (of  Coombe  Court  Gardens)  lecture  on  “The  Vine.” 
The  advice  given  may  be  summarised  thus  : — 
Raise  young  Vines  from  eyts  placed  in  bottom  heat  early  in 
January,  grow  without  check,  but  aim  at  a  haid,  matured  growth 
rather  than  a  soft,  sappy  growth  of,  perhaps,  three  times  the  size.  To 
obtain  this  air  must  be  freely  given ;  indeed,  the  burden  of  the  lecture 
seemed  to  “  air  ”  day  and  uight.  Plant  out  young  canes  in  May  2  feet 
apart,  in  a  border  composed  of  loam  two  parts,  burnt  earth  one  part, 
brick  and  mortar  rubble  and  crushed  bones  one  part,  and  if  wireworm 
is  feared  add  half  a  bushel  of  soot  to  four  loads  of  soil.  Deep  borders 
are  not  necessary,  2  to  3  feet  being  ample. 
Crop  each  alternate  Vine  as  heavily  as  possible  while  the  remainder 
are  building  up  rods  for  permanent  use.  The  cropped  Vines  can  then 
be  cut  out,  leaving  the  house  furnished  with  rods  4  feet  apart. 
Established  vineries  should  be  started  by  covering  the  outside 
border  (if  any)  with  leaves  3  feet  deep  to  keep  off  excessive  rainfall 
and  to  conserve  warmth  in  the  soil.  Close  the  house  a  month  before 
applying  fire  heat,  then  gradually  increase  the  temperature  until  60° 
is  reached  at  about  the  time  the  buds  are  breaking.  Increase  to  65°, 
but  never  go  beyond  this  figure  at  night.  Always  give  a  little  air  at 
night,  that  and  a  comparatively  low  temperature  being  more  natural 
and  beneficial,  as  favouring  natural  rest  at  some  period  of  the  twenty- 
four  hours.  Also  there  is  much  less  danger  of  bad  attacks  of  thrips, 
red  spider,  and  the  effects  of  scalding,  if  airing  is  attended  to,  for  the 
hard  foliage  is  practically  proof  against  insects,  and  no  moisture  will 
be  deposited  to  cause  scalding.  Highly  coloured  Grapes  of  fine  flavour 
result  from  this  treatment. 
A  lean-to  house  is  the  best  for  early  work,  the  back  wall  keeping 
off  cold  winds,  and  so  conserving  the  heat.  Span-roofed  structures  are 
j  referable  for  midseasou  varieties,  as  they  are  capable  of  better  ventila¬ 
tion,  and  if  built  north  and  south  the  Vines  escape  the  burning  rays  of 
the  sun  at  mid-day. 
For  early  cropping  plant  Black  Hamburgh,  Buckland  Sweetwater, 
and  Muscat  of  Alexandria;  the  latter  because  it  gets  the  long  growing 
season  necessary  to  this  variety.  For  late  use  there  is  nothing  better 
than  Lady  Downe’s  and  Alicante.  The  new  variety,  Lady  Hastings, 
was  recommended  as  a  strong  and  easy  grower,  which  finishes  well  and 
will  keep  till  Christmas. 
The  long-spur  system  of  pruning  was  considered  the  best,  as  it 
allows  one  to  choose  the  best  bunch  on  the  spur,  and  the  spur  can  be 
kept  within  bounds  by  pruning  to  the  back  bud  Oue  or  two  minor 
details  were  mentioned,  such  as  fixing  supporting  wires  at  least 
2  feet  from  the  glass,  being  careful  not  to  paint  Vines  in  winter  with 
any  sticky  substance  which  stops  up  the  pores  of  the  Vine,  and 
therefore  is  detrimental  to  its  health. 
There  was  some  discussion  as  to  the  advisability  of  covering  out¬ 
side  3  feet  deep,  some  members  being  of  opinion  that  heavy  coverings, 
are  unnecessary.  The  lecturer,  however,  maintained  that  it  was 
needful  as  a  means  of  exciting  root  action  before  the  buds  burst,  for  he 
was  of  the  opinion  that  the  roots  should  be  helped  along  first. 
— J.  T.  Blencowe,  Eastcott  Ihv.se,  Kingston  Hit.. 
