THE 



GARDENER'S MONTHLY 



AND 



HORTICULTURIST. 



DEVOTED TO HORTICULTURE. ARBORICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS. 



Edited by THOMAS MEEHAN. 



Vol. XX. 



DECEMBER, 1878. 



Number 240. 



Flower Garden and Pleasure Ground. 



SEASONABLE HINTS. 



We are again at the end of another year of 

 our labor, glad to feel that they have been of 

 some use in the spread of horticultural taste and 

 knowledge. We are particularly glad to feel 

 that our "hints" have not been thrown away. 

 We endeavor to make this an especial feature of 

 our magazine. Here we admit nothing but what 

 has been submitted to the severe test of practice 

 and experience. In other departments we strive 

 to encourage thought, and allow latitude to 

 speculations; but in this, only those things are 

 suggested that have been tried in the balance 

 and not found wanting. 



We want to insist just now, in view of what 

 we have said the past year in reference to the 

 finer kinds of evergreens, on what we have fre- ! 

 quently urged — the importance of planting 

 places very thickly at first^ in order both to pro- 

 duce an immediate effect, and also ])ecause the 

 shelter which one another affords, makes the 

 trees grow with greater health and vigor, than | 

 when exposed singly to the force of wind and ' 

 sun. At this season, no better employment can 

 be found than in thinning out these thick planted ' 

 places. It will of course require much judg- \ 



ment; but one fond of trees, and the effects 

 which they produce, will not be much at a loss. 

 Sometimes it is hard to bring oneself to cut 

 down a tree which one has watched grow for so 

 many years; but it often must be done if we 

 would preserve the symmetry and beauty of our 

 ' places. When there is any question as to the 

 j proper tree to be taken away, the size of the 

 j place may help one to decide. A tree which 

 will in time occupy much space can be more 

 easily spared from a small place than one which 

 will never transgress a limited space. Indeed, 

 except for the purpose of rapid growth to nurse 

 more valued trees, large growing things should 

 not be tolerated in small places. The green 

 grass, which is the charm of all gardens, soon 

 departs when lai'ge trees are about. 



Of course, this talk about thinning out, brings 

 us to another great Winter employment, that of 

 pruning. There is no very great amount of 

 science required for this, and yet some judgment 

 is necessary. This is often done with little more 

 reason than a boy has for whittling a cliip — 

 merely to have something to do. For notwith- 

 standing the many papers that have been ^Tit- 

 ten "on the philosophy of pruning," the naked 

 question, "What is the best time to prune trees?" 

 is one with which the gardener is continuallj^ 



