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THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY 



[May, 



it is put in, it is the perfection of planting. If 

 the tree is likely to wilt much, a little pounding 

 will be better than water. It is the neglect of 

 this pounding in of the new earth about roots, 

 that makes so many look after large balls of earth, 

 in which the roots are already tightly packed. 

 A friend recently said to us, " I expect to have 

 splendid success with my large trees. I moved 

 about eight tons of earth with each one." The 

 effort to secure the earth, left the best young 

 feeding roots in the old spot. We would not risk 

 much on the success of these trees. If the 

 ground gets dry during the season around a 

 newly planted tree, a pounding with a heavy 

 rammer, will often be better than a bucket of 

 water. 



Hedges that are growing very rank should 

 receive their first pruning about the time the 

 young growth is commencing to harden. An- 

 other pruning in autumn will be necessary. 

 Prune so that there will be some sort of a slope 

 from bottom to top. This will enable the sun- 

 light to get to the leaves at the bottom as well 

 as at the top, which is important to a good 

 hedge. Many young hedges are ruined by being 

 pruned too young. This is especially true of 

 Honey Locust, Osage Orange and other decidu- 

 ous kinds. It is best to let these grow until the 

 stems are two inches thick at the ground, then saw 

 them to within a half inch of the ground. They 

 will then push up a perfect wilderness of young 

 sprouts, which can be pruned into shape the 

 same season. On this plan the young hedge 

 plants are often two years wholly untouched. 

 This plan was first promulgated by the Gar- 

 dener's Monthly, and the more we see of its 

 workings, the more we are satisfied that one 

 can get a better hedge in one-half the time 

 and at one-half the cost by the Gardener's 

 Monthly mode than by any other we know of. 



COMMUNICA TIONS. 



THE HOLLYHOCK. 



BY M. W. CALDWELL, QUERY'S TURN-OUT, N. C. 



I notice in March number of the Gardener's 

 Monthly, an inquiry about the old-fashioned 

 Hollyhock, if there is any place where they do 

 flourish as in days of yore. In these parts they 

 do. I have seen them for the last forty yeai's, 

 and if any change has taken place in that time, 

 I think they are perfect. Some ten feet high 

 with two hundred big, single, open-mouthed 

 flowers, from 4 to 5 inches in diameter, of 



all colors, plain and notched edges, etc. There 

 are a dozen kinds or more growing in our 

 yard from year to year without any atten- 

 tion whatever. If any of the readers of 

 the Gardener's Monthly wish seeds, I will 

 collect some this summer for distribution of any 

 color, from nearly black to pure white ; as there 

 are plenty of plants that have come up of their 

 own seeding. When I first remember, my grand 

 mother's yard was a wilderness of hollyhocks 

 of various kinds. 



THE NOOTKA SOUND CYPRESS. 



BY H. W. SARGENT, WODENETHE, FISHKILL-ON-HUDSON. 



In reply to a question as to the size and hardi- 

 hood of this tree, in your March issue, I have 

 two fine specimens perfectly hardy and never in 

 the slightest degree injured by the worst weather. 

 No. 1,21 feet high, 18 feet in circumference; 

 No. 2, 14 feet high, 22 feet in circumference, 

 about 7i feet in diameter in its widest part. 



IMPROVEMENTS. 



BY E. P. POWELL. 



The proper handling of shade trees is a matter 

 of special importance to the public. I have in 

 mind a long row of superb maples flanking a 

 village street, and matched by equally fine trees 

 across the way. For a mile, this street, running 

 in a straight line, has been one of the loveliest 

 of drives, increasing in its attractions year by 

 year. The trees nearly interlocked overhead, 

 and gave a summer day such relief as horse and 

 foot could thoroughly appreciate. 



Now for improvements No. 1. It occurs to our 

 citizen along this route that the trees are too 

 close together in front of his house. He cuts 

 out every other one and burns them. The re- 

 maining trees do not look shapely because they 

 had grown interlocked so long as to be some- 

 what denuded of limbs on the sides next each 

 other. 



No. 2. A man of restless activity buys a 

 large place with one hundred front rods. He 

 proceeds to trim up every maple to a height of 

 fifteen feet from the ground. Not the least 

 shade is now furnished along these hundred 

 rods by trees, many of which look like in- 

 verted broom-sticks with some broom at the 

 top. Not realizing that leaves are in part to 

 protect the limbs and trunk from the scorching 

 heat of summer, and to prevent the ground 

 becoming exceedingly dry, he has begun the 

 rapid decay of all his trees. Beauty and utility 



