lates the latent vital organism of the plant into a sort of spasmodic vegetable 

 action, we see feeble and delicate shoots springing from the buds which, growing 

 slenderly and rapidly, immediately afterwards wither and dry up. Defoliation 

 soon ensues, and by midsummer, the sanguine planter finds his hopes of possess- 

 ing a beautiful Evergreen blasted, and, in its stead, he has only a handful of un- 

 sightly brushwood sticking where his cherished specimen once stood. The nursery- 

 man who had properly nurtured and educated the plant, whilst it was under his 

 care, is frequently blamed for its ultimate failure, and tree culture gets a back-set 

 from which it rarely recovers, simply because a little precautionary care was not 

 exercised in properly planting, and protecting it after it was planted. 



We adopted, last season, a simple and successful mode of protecting our Ever- 

 green-trees from the sun. Around each tree we drove, in a circle, eight stakes, 

 and taking the long, flexible branches of the common red cedar, nailed them to 

 the framework as high as the top of the tree. Wattling in the straggling sprays, 

 both inside and out, made it a very dense protection. Care should be taken to 

 make the circle sufficiently large, to allow for two years' growth of the plant, after 

 which time the screen could be safely removed, as it would be properly and fully 

 established in its roots. This fixture is not unsightly — in fact, the dark-brown 

 foliage of the cedar limbs, which does not shed off, gives a mellow relief to the 

 surrounding green, and it is thus rendered more picturesque than any other screen 

 that can be made. Any other long-branched twigs thickly wattled in, make a 

 good screen, and a most beautiful ornamental fixture of this kind, lasting in its 

 character, could be made out of the twisted fibres of the long Spanish moss 

 {TUandsia Usneoides). The common flag of our swamps, and broom straw, 

 would serve the purpose, when cedar boughs and moss could not be readily ob- 

 tained. The ground inside the screen can be mulched, and as the mulching is 

 protected, and cannot be scattered, this process has not to be repeated during the 

 season. The sun's rays from eleven until four o'clock are most injurious, and, if 

 not already attended to, immediately screen all your Evergreen-trees from its 

 blighting effects. Their increased growth and general luxuriance will amply repay 

 you for the small outlay of labor required. — South Carolina Agricidturist. 



THE WINTER IN CANADA. 



Bloomington Nuksery, Illinois, Oct. 11, 1856. 



J. J. Smith, Esq., Ed. Horticulturist. — Dear Sir : Some weeks since, I 

 addressed a letter to Messrs. Cockburn and Brown, nurserymen, of Montreal, with 

 some statements as to the effects of Western winters on fruit-trees, and inquiring 

 as to their experience in that northern region. In reply, they very kindly for- 

 warded me a most interesting chapter, which (without, however, previously con- 

 sulting them) I have taken the liberty to copy for the Horticidturist, if you deem 

 proper, feeling confident that tlicy will excuse me. 



The drought here still continues with unabated intensity; positively, we have 

 not had the ground half soaked once this year, and not half a dozen times has 

 it been wet down three inches ! 



Very truly yours, &c., F. K. Phcenix. 



Cote-des-Neiges Nukseries, keak Montreal, Sept. 19, 1856. 

 F. K. Pn(ENix. — Sir : We were duly favored with your esteemed letter of the 

 13th. It affords us always much pleasure to communicate any information 

 wer to our brethren in the trade. 



YoL. VI.— December, 1856. 36 



