THE 



GARDENER'S MONTHLY 



AND 



HORTICULTURIST. 



DEVOTED TO HORTICULTURE. ARBORICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS. 



Edited by THOMAS MEEHAN. 



Vol. XXII. 



JUNE, 1880. 



Number 258 



Flower Garden and Pleasure Ground. 



SEASONABLE HINTS. 



About this season of the year, trees and shrubs 

 transplanted in spring will often show signs of 

 weakness. If so a severe pruning will help [ 

 them. Sometimes there are hollow spaces 

 about the roots — places where the soil does not 

 touch. In such cases pounding b\' a heavy ram-; 

 mer has often been found to do a heap of good. 

 If the soil be very dry a watering may be neces- 

 sary. For this make a basin about the tree so 

 that tlie water will be compelled to soak in and 

 not run away. And all this is true of shrubs 

 and flowers, hedge plants and vines. 



Some trees and flowers will be benefited by 

 a mulch to keep the earth cool. The heat of 

 the climate seldom hurts anything ; it is from 

 the heats of the ground that so many things 

 suffer. Roses are now pegged over the 

 ground, instead of being trained to stakes ; and 

 they show by the increased flowering, how much 

 they like the coolness the branches make by 

 shading the ground. Speaking of roses reminds 

 us to say that most people now know that the 

 more flowers are cut from rose bushes the more 

 they bloom. They stop blooming when they 

 have to mature seeds ; and this is true of most 

 flowering things. 



Flowering shrubs are often " pruned into 

 shape" in the winter ; and an ugly thing a 



pruned bush becomes. If useless branches are 

 taken out in the summer time, and the stragg- 

 lers nipped back, it is wonderful how different 

 the result will be. 



Many grafted trees throw out suckers from the 

 stocks, and people wonder why the stem be- 

 comes diseased and the plants die. Watch for 

 takers npw and take them off as thej^ appear. 

 This is very important in the cases of Kilmar- 

 nock Willow and grafted roses. 



No trees, evergreens especially, should be suf- 

 fered to have grass grow about them for a year 

 or so after planting. It becomes "rank" in the 

 deeply loosened soil, abstracts moisture, and 

 otherwise seriously interferes with the tree. 

 When the tree gets a fair start, grass does less 

 injury, and when it becomes a tough sod, and 

 the tree by its shade, or say by frequent mowing 

 keeps tb^ grass short, the grass roots do not pene- 

 trate deep, and the sod is of benefit, by keeping 

 the surface spong}', and the substratum cool. 



Many herbaceous plants, such as Phloxes, 

 Hollyhocks and similar things, that are scarce 

 and valued, may be propagated now very easily, 

 by taking portions of their flower-stems before 

 the flowers open, and inserting them as cuttings 

 in a half shaded, cool, and not dry situation. 

 Layering of many things, shrubs, half shrubby 

 perennials, etc., should be done before the young 

 wood becomes too hard, if good plants are re- 



