The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1879-03-07
Horticulture.N
AsTERs AND PHLoX DRUNiMoNDu

ASTERS AND PHLOX DRUMMONDlI.
Not tree,
A plant a leaf. a blossom, but contains
A folio volume. We may read, and read,
And read again. and still find something new
Something to please, and something to instruct.
For any one person 10 cultivate AL the
flowers which have already introduced, and
shall continue to present in these articles on
ANIMALS, would require much larger extent
of ground than most of my readers could find
time to attend 10 ] know it is difficult thing
to restrain passionate lover of flowers from
having great variety of flowers, but the most
beautiful gardens in which j have been en-
plOyed were those where but few kinds were
introduced, and these were selected for a con-
tinual display Of beautiful colors and sweet
odors
Judging from the very large quantity of
flowers which are now known TO florists, one
would think nothing more of interest could be
gathered up to please the eye. But every year
the seed catalogues TEEN with novelties-some
of them most decidedly acquisitions, and really
something new: something to please and some
thing TO instruct" Others. after a seasons
trial, are cast aside as worthless. and sink away
into the obscurity from which they had
emerged 1t has been our practice, for several
years, to test these so-called novelties, and find
in them some long forgotten plant under anew
tangled name.
While some have disappointed us, others have
far exceeded our utmost expectations. These
remarks bring us to the announced subject OF
this weeks letter.
Who of us Of more mature years would re
egnize in the magnificent Peony- Powered Aster
the Queen Daisy of our childhood days? The
science, skill and perseverance OF our florists
have transformed a comparatively inferior spe-
cies from state of simplicity to gorgeous ele.
gance. We are indebted to a French florist
eMons. Truffaut) for the great improvement in
the Aster FOR by his skill he mas produced a
variety known by his name, which none can
surpass in splendor, perfection, softness and
brilliancy in their colors. The flowers
produce but little seed, hence they
are always costly. The Aster Is an autumn
blooming flower, therefore it is not necessary to
start the seed so early as others. They may be
sown in boxes indoors in March, or in the open
ground in May. The chief object to be aimed
at in successfully growing Asters is to have
Sstocky" plants. If you set outlong, spindlinS
ones, they will never amount to anything. The
soil should be well dug and MANFRED. The
best varieties are those above described for the
center of the bed, and the Dwarf Bouquet for
the edging.
For brilliancy in color and long continuance
in bloom, in our opinion, Phlox Drummondii
excels all others. They 90 best planted in
beds, each color separate, placing the plants
about one foot apart If set closer they are
apt to mildew Or they may be planted in lines
in what is known as ribbon gardening. At this
time will not digress into an article on the ar
rangement of flower beds, but wait until the
proper 8 ason approaches The Phlox was dis
covered in Texas some forty years ago, and
named in honor of its discoverer, Mr.. Drum
mond- 1t has been greatly improved since
then. We have grown them ranging from
pure white to deepest crimson, including pur-
pie and yellow, and also striped.
eral others MIR. RENrdE.
HINsDALk Dupage county, H., Box 101.