1877.] 



AND HORTICULTURIST. 



261 



it to a shriveled, lank-limbed uncomeliness. I 

 endured the torment of its stricken form, and 

 struggled for recovery for a year. The next 

 Spring made trial of my surgery. I stood below 

 and engineered the work, so that I might save 

 the just proportions of the tree. Now mark, 

 the exact method, graded as to size somewhat, 

 will suit trees of any stature. 



First, about eight feet of the spire was lopped 

 down to some dormant buds and little tassels, 

 just above a tier of smallish limbs. Then those 

 limbs were cut back to the last stout top tassel, 

 or little side shoots next the trunk. Then on 

 the next plateau beneath, each branch Avas 

 shortened to the first tassel and side limbs, out- 

 skle the ends of those above. Thus adown the 

 tree to the circuit of branches that swept the 

 ground, leaving each curved whorl of limbs a 

 little longer than the last above, the same 

 regimen was kept up. If, by chance, some limb 

 could be taken, with benefit to those around, it 

 ■was cut clean out. The aim was to give the 

 renewed tree, as near as could be, the likeness 

 and proportions of its best estate. 



The hoped for result was reached. The very 

 season after this method was tried, my Spruce 

 healed well over and hid the stumps where cut. 

 The little tassels swelled out and stretched over 

 the scars in vigorous stoutness and graceful 

 droop. The end tassels and side limbs, and 

 those further in, all took up the same strong 

 growth, and a little outward and more downward 

 weeping. Little spires shot up from the trunk 

 top, thei#e onward, all over the tree, graceful 

 droop of verdure, robust vigor and dense foliage 

 have prevailed. The color holds rich, bright 

 and lasting. Hardly one single limb was lost. 

 When such was cut out, the new growth hung 

 down and spread out to fill the space. 



Thirty or more feet beyond mine, a neighbor's 

 younger Spruce, sheltered by his house escaped 

 the scathe of mine. Since, no such frosty wind 

 and dried up soil have joined hands to ruin them, 

 yet they have not gained in comeliness with the 

 years since passed. Gradually they are taking 

 on a form bereft of that inside trunk and limb- 

 sheltering verdure which my big tree ha.s gained 

 and keeps. It has no rival hereabouts in health 

 and vigor, and in rich, dark verdure held 

 throughout the year. Everywhere around us 

 I see this Spruce, after a few years, abandcming 

 the style and bearing of its earlier life, or taking 

 on that same sparse foliage, lank, uncomfortalle 

 look. It's evident to me there is no way given 



to restore and keep this tree in its best estate 

 and form but just that method which has 

 brought mine so marked success. 



It seems to me very fortunate that this Spruce 

 is so endowed with reactive force. Few places 

 in this country are large enough, or if they start 

 so, few will long hold breadth enough to endure 

 the improving stature and spread of our biggest 

 evergreens. A little place soon looks swallowed 

 up and smothered, by stalwart Pines and Spruces. 

 Great specimens of such are well enough for 

 public parks, but there are few broad acre pri- 

 vate grounds to which a generation gone does 

 not bring " subtraction or division," along with 

 the "silence " of their owners graves. Yet, kept 

 gracefully within bounds, and close-draped with 

 thick foliage, under my regimen, the Norway 

 Spruce will snugly shelter a'U by its screen, and 

 yield its comely cheer and presence in Summer's 

 sun and wintry gloom. 



AN EVERGREEN PLANTATION. 



BY W. T. BELL, FRANKLIN, PA. 



I have a narrow, good-for-nothing strip of 

 ground, about ten rods from my house, its 

 nearest boundary being a small, winding stream, 

 while the other side reaches to a dividing fence. 

 It is so rocky that it is almost useless for tillage, 

 and I concluded that the best use I could make • 

 of it was to plant it with evergreens. It was 

 thinly covered with small chestnuts, oaks, 

 maples, etc., and any that were likely to injure 

 the future occupants of the ground, by falling 

 on them, were cut down; the brush was gathered 

 and burned, and without further preparation 

 my site was ready for planting. I had a quantity 

 of shrubs and trees on hand, consequently there 

 was little selection of kinds to be made. 



The front of the strip, next the stream and 

 the house, was set with American Arborvitae, 

 varied occasionally with Hemlock Spruce 

 (which, by the way, is one of the finest, hardy 

 evergreens grown, when properly treated), and 

 American Rose Bay (Rhododendron maxi- 

 mum), Avhile at suitable places, at the extreme 

 margin, a few plants of the Dwarf Yew, or 

 Ground Hemlock (Taxus Canadensis), were 

 placed. 



The background was filled mainly with Nor- 

 way Spruce, sjxaringly interspersed with Beech, 

 to be still further relieved by a few White 

 Stemmed Birch and a specimen or two of the 



