98 



THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY 



[April, 



than soil one foot deep. Rich soil f^i-ows a tree 

 larger in one year than a poor soil will in three. 

 Under-drained soil is cooler in summer than soil 

 not under-drained. The feeding roots of trees 

 come near the surface ; therefore plant no deeper 

 than necessary to keep the tree in the soil. If 

 there be danger of its blowing over, stake it, but 

 don't plant deep. One stake set at an angle is as 

 good as two set perpendicularly. Straw or mat 

 set round the tree keeps the bark from rubbing. 

 Large stones placed around a transplanted tree 

 are often better than a stake. They keep the 

 soil moist, admit the air, and encourage surface 

 roots. Shorten the shoots at transplanting. 

 This induces growth, and growth produces roots ; 

 and with new roots your tree is safe for another 

 season. Unpruned trees produce leaves, but 

 little growth, and less new roots. 



In arranging flowers in beds, aim at varying 

 from last year. And to obtain this ever-changing 

 and pleasing variety, annuals are the very things 

 for the purpose. But they must have good soil 

 and careful attention, or the seed will be sure to 

 furnish a good excuse for neglect or bad practice 

 in many instances. Very fine seeds may be 

 sown quite on the surface, and a little moss, 

 dried and powdered, spread thinly over the seeds. 

 The common cause of failure is deep sowing. 

 The nearer the surface, the better, provided they 

 do not ever become dry — which is as fatal as 

 deep planting. It is a happy practice that can 

 just hit the middle way. Climbing annuals are 

 particularly interesting. Tuberoses are best 

 planted out as soon as all danger of frost is over, 

 in a rich, moist, warm, sandy soil, if perfection 

 is desired. Roots that flowered last year will 

 not flower again for two seasons. 



COMMUNICA TIONS. 



A NEW BORDER PLANT. 



BY A. G. 



This plant, Bambusa variegata, grows to 

 about four inches in height, having a wide 

 grass-like leaf of a yellow-green tint, edged 

 with white. The flower resembles the grape 

 hyacinth, being of a purple blue tint, and simi- 

 lar in shape. Though recommended for the 

 aquarium and fernery, the B. variegata or dwarf 

 bamboo produces a very pretty eff'ect when used 

 as a border plant. It requires little or no 

 trimming, the rain does not fade it or discom- 

 pose its outlines ; its leaves being firm in tex- 

 ture, upright, and glossy. It gives a distinct 

 yet airy outline to the bed, yet does not impair 



the effect of other plants, as it keeps steadily to 

 its subordinate position as a border plant. Last 

 summer (1879), we saw in the grounds of T. 

 Fairly, Florist, Druid Hill Avenue, Baltimore, 

 some beds bordered with Dwarf Bamboo. The 

 effect was pretty and unique. Directly within 

 this border was placed a row of small plants 

 resembling the house leek, the centre being 

 filled with larger plants. The border made a 

 distinct outline in the gi-ass. Seeing the excel- 

 lence of this plant, and having tested its capa- 

 bilities, Mr. F. is prepared to recommend it as 

 a convenient and useful border plant. Those 

 desiring a plant that will require little or no at- 

 tention during the summer, as to trimming, 

 would do well to try it. 



DUCKS AS INSECT-DESTROYERS. 



BY MRS. D. W., SUMMERVILLE, S. C. 



Being obliged to manure heavily a very sandy 

 soil, and use whatever rich earth I could lay my 

 hands on, the first year of gardening, on a new 

 place, I was, as the spring advanced, terribly 

 annoyed with slugs, cut-worms, and insects of 

 every description ; the annuals were destroyed, 

 the young rose leaves pierced and ruined. 



I bought eight or nine ducks, such as with us are 

 termed English ducks. Muscovies eat the buds 

 and young shoots and will not answer. I turned 

 these ducks into the garden, giving them a fine 

 run there for three or four months, and assure 

 you that I was perfectly astonished at the suc- 

 cess of my happy thought. 



It may be urged that the ducks trample down 

 the plants. They may do so in a measure, but 

 the injury does not counterbalance the entire 

 clearing of the garden from all sorts of insect 

 enemies. My roses were fine and remarkably 

 free from blight and insects. 



NOTES FROM ENGLAND on PRIMULAS, etc. 



BY J. 



I think Primula rosea is quite as hardy as P. 

 acaulis. I have some plants of it in an artificial 

 bog, and although we have had five weeks hard 

 frost without snow, and the plants were covered 

 with a miniature glacier caused by the water 

 freezing as it overflowed the ground, I find them 

 quite uninjured, and each plant will produce a half 

 dozen spikes at least. I think it would do well 

 under your deep covering of snow. 



Crocus odorus longifolius has kept blooming 

 during the whole frost. I should not have 

 thought the buds could have pushed through the 

 frozen soil in the way they did. I have not 



