THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 17 



mote this storing of sun-heat, shut up earlj, and give them a good 

 syringing at the same time, which will create a nice growing atmo- 

 sphere. Let them have plenty of room, so that they do not crowd 

 one another. K they should i^how flower-buds before they have 

 attained the size you require, pick them off; this will 'concentrate 

 t'ae whole vigour of the plant into promoting its growth, and the 

 growth being completed, the buds may be allowed to expand, and 

 they will break into flower all over. 



The insect which is most destructive to the balsam is the red 

 spider, which sometimes attacks them just at the period when they 

 are in full flower, thus shortening the duration of their bloominflj 

 season. That you may guard against guch failures, avoid anything 

 that approaches a dry .ntmosphere while they are growing, and never 

 let them once suff'er from drouo;ht when in flower. 



PLAXTIXa UXDER TREES. 



T is very common to see in villa gardens huge blank 

 spaces, where it is " said " nothing will grow because of 

 the shade of the trees. If a dozen gardeners were 

 called in for a consultation on the subject, there would 

 probably be eleven in favour of cutting the trees down, 

 and not more than one with courage enough to defend them. If we 

 had to do with such a palaver, we sliould side with the minority, not 

 only because there is a peculiar pleasure that has the look of virtue 

 in it, but because we love trees, never yet saw too many of thern in 

 any garden, and, what is perhaps of much more importance to the 

 suburban amateur, because the ground under trees may be as richly 

 clothed as in the open. 



Before there can be much success in planting under large trees, 

 the soil must undergo some improvement. If the shrubby lilacs 

 and snowberries are cleared out, and the surface dug over, it will 

 generally be found that the soil is as dry as dust, and full of the 

 surface fibres of the trees. These fibres need not be considered as 

 of much consequence, and the ground cannot be dug over without 

 destroying them to some extent. But there must be no wanton 

 destruction, and a four-tined fork will be the best tool for the work 

 of breaking up the surface, because that will do less mischief among 

 the surface roots. There must first be a heavy dressing of half- 

 rotten dung, which must be dug in one spade deep ; to go deeper 

 will do too much harm to the roots of the trees. There ought also 

 to be wheeled on to the piece a few heaps of silky yellow loam, with 

 plenty of turf in it, or a mixture of common garden loam and leaf- 

 mould, equal parts, well incorporated. This loam or loamy mixture 

 is to be used for planting the conifers, which ought not to be planted 

 in soil containing recentl}'- added manure ; and the object of laying 

 it in heaps is to have it ready for fiUiug in wherever trees of the 



YOL. III. — NO. I. 2 



