THE 



GARDENER'S MONTHLY 



AND 



HORTICULTURIST. 



DEVOTED TO HORTICULTURE. ARBORICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS. 



Edited by THOMAS MEEHAN. 



Vol. XIX. 



SEPTEMBER, 1877. 



Number 225. 



XowER Garden and If leasure kround. 



SEASONABLE HINTS. 



The arrangement of colored leaved plants into 

 masses, so as to look like carpets and ribbands, is 

 still popular, and is likely to keep its hold on us 

 for several years yet, especiallj' as we have not 

 near reached the perfection the art has been 

 raised to in Europe. It is best to get the 

 designs colored out now, so that we can tell 

 exactly what plants to prepare for the work 

 another season. We have a larger number of 

 plants to work with than Europeans have, and 

 some unique designs could be worked out. The 

 commonest jjlants, even weeds can often be used 

 to gi-eat effect, not only for this but for other 

 work. 



At this season of the year, people think of 

 making cuttings of bedding and other plants, in 

 order for another year. The best way to propa- 

 gate all the common kinds of bedding plants is 

 to take a frame or hand-glass and set it on a bed 

 of very sandy soil made in a shady place in the 

 open air. The sand should be fine and sharp, 

 and there is, perhaps, nothing better than river 

 sand for this purpose. The glass may be white- 

 washed on the inside, so as to afford additional 

 security against injury from the sun's rays. 

 Into this bed of sand, cuttings of half ripened 

 wood of the desirable plants may be set, and 

 after putting in, slightly watered. Even very 

 rare plants often do better this way than when 

 under treatment in a regular propagating house. 

 In making cuttings, it is best to cut the shoots 



just under a bud— they root better, and are not 

 so likely to rot off and decay. A cutting of 

 about three eyes is long enough for most strong 

 growing things, such as Geraniums, Fuchsias, 

 &c. 



In many parts of the Northern States the 

 leaves will have changed color previous to the 

 incoming of Winter, and the planting of trees 

 and shrubs will commence as soon as the first 

 Fall showers shall have cooled the atmosphere 

 and moistened the soil. Further south, where 

 the season will still remain "Summer" a while 

 longer, the soil may, at any rate, be prepared, 

 that all may be in readiness when the right sea- 

 son does come. What leaves remain on should 

 be stripped off, and the main shoots shortened. 

 They will then do better than if planted very 

 late. In fact, if planting cannot be finished 

 before the beginning of November in the North- 

 ern and Middle States, it is better, as a rule, 

 deferred till Spring. In those States where little 

 frost occurs, this rule will not apply. The roots 

 of plants grow all Winter, and a plant set out in 

 the Fall has the advantage over spring set trees; 

 that its roots in Spring are in a position to sup- 

 ply the tree at once with food. This is, indeed, 

 the theory fall planters rely on ; but in practice 

 it is found that severe cold dries up the wood, 

 and the frost draws out the roots, and thus more 

 than counterbalances any advantage from the 

 f)ushing of new roots. Very small plants are, 

 therefore, best left till Spring for their final 

 planting. It is, however, an excellent plan to 

 get young things on hand in Fall, and bury them 



