The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-01-04


from China about 1881 and Ia still known
as the China aster. The true aster IL
a native Of both Europe and America,
but what Is generally called the aster
is, botancally speaking. not an aster.
1t has been variously named by bot
lstephus chinensis and Callistemma
hortenss But to all except botanists
it will ever be known as the nster.
When first introduced the aster was
| single and the colors were blue. violet
and white. Years Of careful cultiva-
ton finally resulted in double flowers
with red added to the other colors and
later variegated forms.
In 1850 the quilted type Of flower
became popular and dwarf forms began
TO appear. Previous to 1890 the aster
was grown for garden decoration. dwarf
plants and small compact flowers pre-
dominating. These types are still much
In evidence In Germany, the home Of
the aster seed industry. One German
catalogue Of 1907 offered 673 varieties.
divided between tho tall. semi-tall and
dwarf varieties.
From 1890 to 1895 three new types
were introduced which were. adapted
to the use Of the commercial fiorist--
Queen Of the Market, Comet and
Branching-and the aster quickly be-
came an important florists flower.
George Arnold. farm superintendent
Of James Nicks Sons. Rochester, n. y.
the largest growers Of aster seed in
America says in his booklet How to
Grow Asters.' from which this article
is reproduced by permission. that the
aster is the most important outdoor
grown flower and that the total value
Of the aster seed sold by American
scedsmen exceeds that OF any other
one flower.
The aster may now be had In color.
ranging from white. pale nesh pink
through many intermediate shades to
dark violet blue and deep crimson.
yellow seems foreign to the aster and
the best Of the yellows are not much
more than q pale primrose.
The most popular classes Of asters
In America are few. although In
Europe some fifty classes are grown.
Victoria Is OF upright growth and me-
dunn height, blooming in midseason.
The petals Of the flower are bent back
at the ends with shorter inner petals
The dwarf Victoria is spialler In plant
and flower.
Washington is a large lowered Vic.
toria
Mignon, dwarf M!snon. Pompon
SNOWFALL and Lady have smaller now
ers OF the same type a. Victoria.
Daybreak and Purity resemble Vic.
toria in habit and season. but are more
robust in plant and flower. The fiow-
ais. These varieties were introduced
ny James Vicks Sons In 1897 and 1879.
and giant" strains. larger In plant and
flower. were introduced in 1912.
Trurauts Peony Powered Perfec-
ton in plant and season Is like the Vic.
toria, the petals Of the flower are broad
and strongly incurved. The edges OF
the petals are slightly curved forward
Dwarf Truffaut, Ball, Jewel and Tri-
umph belong to this type.
Quilted has short tubular horets in the
centre, surrounded by rows OF forets
having strap-shaped petals. Crown. OF
Cocardeau, il n modification OF this
type, with q white central disk. sur
rounded by outer rays OF some con
trasting color. Needle is another mod
thcation in which all the horets are
tubular, more elongated than in tn,
quilted and tapering to a blunt point
Ray astcrs are another form In which
the norets are all tubular. The outel
rows are like darning needles. long
slender and sharp pointed. The howel
10 nat and broad.
Dwarf Bouquet. The plants Of thi,
. type are only n few inches high ant
, when in bloom form . solid mass O.
flowers.
Con erclal Asters.
The commercial types are valuable or
account Of their earliness, because TIT
stems are long and the flowers hand
. some These types should be general!
! grown by amateurs.
, Queen OF the Market flowers two t.
} three weeks before the midseason Va.
rieties. The plants are open ant
spreading and the stems Of goot
length. The flowers are large. tho pet
! ais broad and longer than In most o
, the older types. The flower has soft
loose appearance. This variety wa,
introduced by Vilmorin, q French seeds
man. about 1885.
Comet type has long, narrow, re
, curved petals somewhat resembling
8 chrysanthemums. This variety wa
also introduced by Vilmorin and hai
: constantly increased in favor.
: Branching was introduced by Jane
. Vick's Sons in 1898. II was larger II
, plant and flower than any aster II
. cultivation at that time and rapid!
superseded most Of the older classes
,, Tho wide spreading plants have man.
, long, stout branches SO thickly set will
\ n