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The garden or modified asters undoubtedly deserve more attention in American collections. The beautiful low-growing, vernal alpine asters are little known at present, but are valuable for rock-garden and for bordering purposes. The earliest asters to flower are the Alpine varieties. These are well adapted for floral mass effects, and transplant well, even in an advanced state. There are many garden varieties of asters, among which are Schoene von Ronsdorf, Ultramarin, Beauty of Colwall, Beaute Parfaite, Rosalind and Boule de Neige. Alpine asters can be easily raised from seed sown in spring. Seedlings do not flower until the second year. In the garden they require a light rich soil, open exposure and moderate amount of moisture. Plants retain their foliage over winter and for this reason need a more careful covering than the tall-growing classes require. Garden varieties of the latter, as a rule, dp better in low and rather moist locations. Here a minimum of care is sufficient. To bring out their full beauty. however, it is necessary to plant them in well-prepared richly manured ground and properly to cultivate, stake and irrigate them. Stock of named varieties must be purchased as plants. Propagation can be effected by division of old clumps, or, if larger quantities are desired, by cuttings. If distinctness of variety and color is no object, seeding may be employed; sow early in spring, thinly in rows; transplant seedlings in August or early in September and await their coming into flower the following season.
The garden or modified asters undoubtedly deserve more attention in American collections. The beautiful low-growing, vernal alpine asters are little known at present, but are valuable for rock-garden and for bordering purposes. The earliest asters to flower are the Alpine varieties. These are well adapted for floral mass effects, and transplant well, even in an advanced state. There are many garden varieties of asters, among which are Schoene von Ronsdorf, Ultramarin, Beauty of Colwall, Beaute Parfaite, Rosalind and Boule de Neige. Alpine asters can be easily raised from seed sown in spring. Seedlings do not flower until the second year. In the garden they require a light rich soil, open exposure and moderate amount of moisture. Plants retain their foliage over winter and for this reason need a more careful covering than the tall-growing classes require. Garden varieties of the latter, as a rule, dp better in low and rather moist locations. Here a minimum of care is sufficient. To bring out their full beauty. however, it is necessary to plant them in well-prepared richly manured ground and properly to cultivate, stake and irrigate them. Stock of named varieties must be purchased as plants. Propagation can be effected by division of old clumps, or, if larger quantities are desired, by cuttings. If distinctness of variety and color is no object, seeding may be employed; sow early in spring, thinly in rows; transplant seedlings in August or early in September and await their coming into flower the following season.
In the following list, those marked are offered by dealers: A. brachytrichus, Franch. Dwarf: disk.-fls. yellow, ray-fls. blue. Yunnan, part of China. R.H. 1900:369,—A. coccineus nevadensis -(?).—A. Datschii--(?). — A. hybridus nanus-(?). "Rosy color, only 6 in. high."—*A, lancifolius californicus-(?).—A. décima, Hort., white to pink-(?).—A. delicata, Hort., pale flesh-color - (? ).—A. gracilimus, Hort., white changing to rosy pink - (?).—A. Iberis, of gardens: 20 in. high, of compact even growth: fls. rich blue. Probably a form of Amellus.—*A. lilacinus nevadénsis - (?).— A. Linosyris, Bernh.-Lynosyris vulgaris, Cass., which see. —*A. mesa grande speciosa grandiflora, dark purplish blue-(?). R. B. 36:117.— M. Meehanii, Hort., is a well-marked form of A. patens, found by Joseph Meehan at Antietam.—A. pyramidalis-(?). —A. Reevesii. Hort., is A. ericoides var. Reevesii, Gray, a "rigid form, comparatively stout, glabrous, except that the lvs, are often hispidulous-ciliate towards the base, the heads and rays as large and the latter about as numerous as in A. polyphyllus." N. Amer.— *A. rotundifolius, Thunb. - Felicia. — A. sikkimensis. Hook. Three to 4 ft., stout and erect: Lvs. lanceolate-acuminate, spinulose-scrrate: heads purple, in large corymbs, Himalayas. B.M. 4557. J.F. 1, pl. 91,—A. Stracheyi, Hook. Stemless and sarmentose, with 1-fld. bracted scapes: radical Lvs. spatulate, hairy: heads lilac-blur, 1 in. across. Pretty. Himalayas. B.M. 6012. G.M. 31:358. —*A. terminalis-(?).—A. Townshendii, Hook.- A. Bigelovii, Gray. N. Amer.
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