1880. 



AND HORTICULTURIST. 



801 



a good portion of its space. It was found neces- 

 sary, in order to have adequate room, to enclose 

 a Weeping Ash tree; and then the question 

 arose how best to utilize this tree. Mr. John 

 Wills, to whom the floral decorations were en- 

 trusted, hit upon the happy e.xpedient of con- 

 verting this tree into a fountain, and for this 

 purpose pipes were laid on to the tree and cun- 

 ningly conveyed up the trunk to the branches, 

 the trunk having an outer covering of cork 

 covered with creeping plants ; and from amid 

 the branches a fine spray was thrown out to- 

 wards the circumference of the branches. At 

 the foot of the tree was a circular pond, formed 

 of stout zinc, and fitting so close to the trunk of 

 the tree as that no water could get to the roots ; 



and in this pond were arranged choice water 

 plants, including Nymphaes in bloom, Australian 

 Pitcher-plants, Filmy Ferns, &c., and with so 

 much tact and skill and in such a natural man- 

 ner that they appeared to have been growing 

 there for weeks past. From the circumference 

 of the basin cooling spray was discharged to- 

 wards the centre, and when the interior of the 

 branches was lit up at night by means of Japan- 

 ese lanterns, the effect was indescribably charm- 

 ing, and the success of the work complete. On 

 either side of the broad flight of steps leading 

 from the drawing-room to the pavilion large 

 grottos were constructed with waterfalls, and the 

 surroundings were in thorough keeping with the 

 main idea. 



Fruit and Vegetable Gardening. 



SEASONABLE HINTS. 



We do not know that under the head of Season- 

 able Hints we could do better than repeat what 

 we have once said before, that we feel that the 

 advice constantly given to subsoil and under- 

 drain, and manure to the extent of hundreds of 

 dollars per acre is too costly to follow, and of 

 little use after it is taken. If we were going to 

 prepare a piece of ground for an orchard, we 

 should manure it heavily and put in a crop of 

 potatoes ; then in October manure again 

 lightly and put in rye. On this, in April, we 

 should sow red clover. The rye off", we should 

 then consider it ready to plant trees. For ap- 

 ples, pears, plums or cherries, we should mark 

 out the rows ten feet apart, and for the trees ten 

 feet from each other. This will be twice as 

 thick as they will be required when full grown, 

 but they grow much better when thick together ; 

 and they will bear more than enough fruit to 

 pay for the room they occupy, before the time 

 comes to cut every other one away. We say 

 the rows ten feet apart, but every fourth row 

 should be twelve feet to afford room to get be- 

 tween the blocks with a cart. 



Plant as early in October as possible, but it 

 can be continued until the approach of frost. 

 To plant, a hole can be dug in the stubble just 

 large enough to hold the roots without cramp- 

 ing them. We should tread in the soil and trim 

 in the head very severely. The next spring we 



should just break the crust formed by the winter 

 rains about the tree, and then leave everything 

 to grow as it might. The clover will be ready 

 to cut in June or July. The twelve feet rows 

 may be done by machinery, the rest by hand. 

 Hay enough will be made to pay for all the 

 labor in one year and a little more. After the 

 hay has been hauled off bring back some rich 

 earth of anj' kind, and spread about a quarter or 

 half an inch thick over the surface of the ground 

 disturbed in making the hole. This will keep 

 the grass from growing very strong just over the 

 roots. Keep on this way annually, every two 

 or three years giving the whole surface of the 

 orchard a top dressing for the sake of the grass, 

 and it will be found to be the most profitable 

 way of making the orchard ground pay for 

 itself, until the fruit crops come in, that one can 

 adopt. The trees also will be models of health 

 and vigor, and when they commence to bear 

 will do so regularly and abundantly. This is an 

 epitome of what the Gardener's Monthly has 

 taught, opposed as it has been by the excellent 

 men of the old school of culture. No one who 

 follows it will ever abandon it for any other. It is 

 costless comparatively, from the first to the last ; 

 and pays its way at every step. 



The dwarfer fruit trees we would plant on the 

 same system, but six instead of ten feet apart. 

 Few soils are too wet for fruit trees. Only in wet 

 soils plant on the surface, and throw up the 

 earth over them from between so as to make a 



