SUMMES MEETING. 73 



A noticeable feature in the flower gardens of the Pacific coast, so 

 far as my observations extended, was the entire absence of herbaceous 

 plants. They tell me they do not succeed there. Probably they re- 

 •quire the rest oar winter gives them. Their place there is supplied by 

 Callas, Amaryllis and others^of kindred nature, which are rested by 

 drying off, although never entirely dried down. This process would 

 probably not agree with herbabeous plants. 



The " whys" and " wherefores" of these things will often bring to 

 mind the title to the old song, "O, won't you tell me why, Robin*?" and 

 in that country Eobin almost invariably answered that he didn't know 

 the reason why. So, while we covet the Magnolias and Marechal 

 J!fiel roses, they longingly look back to the Peonias of their youth. 



In shrubs we have a great variety to which our climate seems con- 

 genial. Spireas in variety, of which Van Houter stands pre-eminent. 

 Deutzias, from the Pride of Rochester to the delicate Gracilis, Snow- 

 balls, Exochordia, Lilacs, Flowering Almonds, pink and white Weigelias 

 ■(although the white cannot be recommended for hardiness), Altheas, 

 white, purple and variegated. 



The finest early blooming shrub I have ever seen is Forsythia 

 Portunis. It grows to a height of eight or ten feet, and as much in 

 "width. The long pendant branches in early spring are a mass of golden 

 jellow flowers, entirely covering the plant. 



We have an abundance of shrubs of every hue excepting red. 

 Oydonia Japonica is perfectly hardy, but slow in growth and uncertain 

 in blooming. Where shall we find a better '? 



Roses we have in plenty, but to give satisfactory results must be 



taken care of. They should be divided occasionally and given a good 



dressing of chips, dirt or manure for a winter mulch; plant them in 



groups of contrasting colors; the dark will look richer and the whites 



purer for the comparison. 



Do not, excepting to cut out dead wood, prune your roses. ligature 

 proportions the tops to the roots, and to cut off the head already 

 formed and ripened and force the roots to produce an entire new head, 

 is drawing on them for more than they can supply without exhausting 

 and shortening the life of the shrub. 



Nature has given every plant its own appropriate form, that which 

 accords best with its foliage and bloom. In an apple-tree we prune for 

 fruit ; in a grape-vine, to keep it within bounds, that the fruit may be 

 more conveniently reached; but in ornaments we want the variety of 

 form which nature has bestowed on the plant. We laugh at ever- 

 greens chipped into grotesque forms, and then we take our pruning 

 knife and . cut our roses back all alike. Allow them to grow in their 



