THE 



GARDENER'S MONTHLY 



AND 



HORTICULTURIST. 



DEVOTED TO HORTICULTURE. ARBORICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS. 



Edited by THOMAS MEEHAN. 



Vol. XIX. 



MAY, 1877. 



Number 221. 



Slower Earden and Pleasure Ground. 



SEASONABLE HINTS. 



Of all tlie Spring months May is the best for 

 transplanting evergreens ; it is the time when 

 the young shoots are about starting into their 

 season's growth, and the roots pushing at the 

 same time, nothing or very little is lost by evap- 

 oration while waiting for the new fibers to grow. 



Evergreen shrubs are not considered generally 

 successful in our climate ; but this is rather 

 owing to our perversity in exposing them to the 

 Winter's sun, or planting them in too dry a soil, 

 than to any insuperable difficulty of climate. 



This is especially the case with the Rhododen- 

 dron, the culture of which has occupied consid- 

 erable attention in our pages during the past 

 year. These may be planted much later than 

 other evergreens, as the numerous hair-like roots 

 so bind the soil together that they come up with 

 a better ball than other plants. When intelli- 

 gently pursued, the culture of no plant is so easy 

 as that of the Rhododendron. The intelligence 

 required in the first place is to avoid lime. They 

 will not do in limestone soil — no plants hate 

 lime so intensely. We know of people who ai-e 

 well aware of this fact, and because they have 

 no lime in their soil, thoughtlessly put them 

 near lime cast walls where the rain and the 

 weather bring lime into the soil. Those who 

 would cultivate the Rhododendron in limestone 

 soil should bring a little soil from a distance, 

 and then the Rhododendron bed should be 

 elevated a little, so that the drainage of the 



limestone ground shall not drain into it. Then 

 a place must be selected where there will be 

 no cutting winds. Independently of the lime 

 objection, the side of a house is generally a 

 poor place, as the cutting winds of Winter, gen- 

 erally " whistle " around the walls more keenly 

 than in the full open ground. And lastly, the 

 plants must not be set deep. It is better to set 

 on the surface, bring the soil up around the ball, 

 and hammer in firmly, than to put the roots much 

 below the surface. 



About the first week in May, residents of the 

 Middle States commence to set out their bed- 

 ding plants. The modern style of planting in 

 masses affords great scope for a tasteful arrange- 

 ment of colors, either in the same bed or by 

 arrangement amongst a set of fiowei'-beds. The 

 ribbon style of flower-gardening beds in long, 

 narrow, and winding strips and coils, is also 

 popular for the same purpose. It requires, 

 liesides, good taste in arranging colors harmo- 

 niously, judgment to select those kinds that will 

 continue in bloom the whole season, withstand- 

 ing well the Summer drouth, and that will 

 harmonize in habit and growth with one an- 

 other. 



As the plants in the borders grow, those in 

 masses may be much improved by being pegged 

 down over the surface. We can then train 

 shoots where we wish, and thus cover the beds 

 much sooner. Pegs for this purpose are best 

 made by getting any straight shoots of trees, 

 about one-fourth of an inch thick and cut into 

 four-inch lengths, then splitting them down the 



