21() NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



start of what he desires to accomplish. In other words the planting 

 should be done with some definite end in view. It will then be necessary 

 to consider the various trees and plants suited to the climate, and see 

 which can be best made to produce the effect desired. All trees and 

 shrubs do not grow the same. Some are symmetrical in growth and 

 make handsome specimens when standing alone while others are ragged 

 in appearance and give the best effect when grouped. The color of 

 foliage and flowers and the time of blooming should also be taken into 

 consideration when laying out the grounds. There is one class of shrubs 

 that is desirable because of its blooming early in the spring; there is 

 another that blooms in mid-summer and later; another is desirable be- 

 cause of its brilliant colored foliage carried late in the fall, and still 

 another is desirable because of the rich coloring of the trunk and twigs. 



A complete list of trees and shrubs which may be safely used in 

 Nebraska for ornamental purposes will not be given here, but a few good 

 ones which experience has shown may be used with a reasonable degree, 

 of certainty shall be mentioned. 



One of the first things to consider in starting a home in a prairie 

 country is the planting of trees for protection. The building site and 

 feed lots should be entirely surrounded with two or three rows of ever- 

 greens. Scotch, Austrian, Ponderosa (or bull) and Jack pines thrive in 

 almost any part of Nebraska. While they appear to grow slowly, at the 

 expiration of ten years, if properly cared for, they will average almost 

 twenty feet in height and form a protection that protects the year 

 round. There is probably no deciduous tree that will make a windbreak 

 so effective, especially during the bleak winter months, and certainly 

 none that will add cheerfulness as these with their winter coat of green. 



Care should be taken in planting the lawn not to get ornamentals 

 Loo close. A few good shrubs such as the hardy hydrangea, spirea Van 

 Houttei, Japanese quince, bush honeysuckle, and perhaps two or three 

 .spruces (Colorado blue and Black Hills) may stand by themselve.s. 

 Mainly the planting should be in groups and should be arranged at the 

 sides of grounds and at the angles and rear of the house. A few good 

 shade trees set at convenient places, a nice bed of bush roses, two or 

 three beds of hardy perennials (phloxes, peonies, irises), two or three 

 hardy climbing vines (clematis jackmanni and iianiculata), two or 

 Lhree climbing roses and possibly a weeping tree or two will about 

 complete the list for the average home. 



The trees, shrubs and plants mentioned are all hardy in most parts of 

 the state and can be had on all home grounds with a small outlay of 

 money. But they must have care to do well. The roses and peren- 

 nials will not succeed planted singly over the lawn any more than a 

 stalk of corn would when chocked by blue grass, but should be planted 

 in beds and hoed the same as garden crops. The sod should not be al- 

 lowed to grow closer than eighteen inches or two feet from the trees, 

 shrubs and climbers until they are well established. 



