nearly right angle with each other. Also a bold straight drive from the street 

 directly up to the house, when the situation of the house will admit of it, may 

 have as good or better effect tlian the usual circuitous drive. Of course, a drive 

 straight over a knoll or -bright poiut of land would nut be economy or in good 

 taste. But in this case the drive should take the circuitous route, and wind 

 around on the lowest grades to overcome the resistance easy. As to the natural 

 forest trees, they may be managed according to the owner's taste pretty much. 

 About all the attention they require will be to keep down the underbush and thin 

 out some of the thickest of the smaller trees, take off the dead limbs, then leaving 

 the trees to take pretty much their own course. Stagnant waters are generally 

 looked upon as a nuisance, yet on large grounds there may be numerous small 

 ponds that are fed from the bottom by springs. Such ponds may and will often 

 remain apparently fresh through the year, and although not as agreeable as run- 

 ning water, yet they are worthy of protection and consideration by the farmer. 

 It is not to be expected that the common farmer can spend or lay out a great 

 amount of time, expense, or labor, on grounds of this character. Hence he 

 should choose a house lot where nature has or will do a good part of the labor, 

 though the farmer will consider that his extra labor on such grounds is not lost 

 or thrown away. This work can be done by littles and at odd spells where the 

 farmer has really a taste for such work, and in no way will it interfere with his 

 ordinary farm work. One of the finest ornamental shrubs that may adorn the 

 farmer's grounds may be found we think in the common " Forest Laurel," or what 

 the farmers call " Green Ivy," to be had in any quantities in most all forest lands. 

 This shrub, as is well known, is a dark evergreen through the year, growing from 

 three to six feet high, as may be. About the 20th of June it comes into flower, 

 and then for some two weeks may be seen some of the finest variegated flowers, 

 bright pink, light pink, &c. Any one who will take the trouble to examine these 

 flowers by going to the forest may see for themselves if they are not worthy of 

 note and remark. We declare that if the common Kalmia was a foreign shrub 

 and was imported and sold at $5 or $10 a plant, it would be seen and found in 

 most of the amateur's grounds in the country. But as it can be had for asking 

 or nothing as a wild shrub no cultivator takes any notice of it whatever, and so 

 the " Green Ivy" is left to its own glory, and is considered of no sort of conse- 

 quence, unless it be to " poison sheep" by eating the green leaves in the winter 

 season. This may be true if the sheep were to eat the leaves to any great extent, 

 which they may do when the ground is covered with snow. It is our opinion that 

 this shrub may be transplanted in the spring or fall with little or no trouble, while 

 the after culture would be or need but little attention. Who will try this shrub 

 the coming season, and report progress on the trial, as an ornamental shrub for 

 grounds in future, for, as an evergreen bush, we think it (without the flowers), as 

 highly ornamental and instructive. 



NOTES ON EYERGREEN TREES. 



BY J., WESTCUESTER, PA. 



Notwithstanding the large number of Evergreen-trees introduced into this 

 country, I doubt very much any one being able to name more than six varieties 

 that are perfectly unexceptional, as regards hardiness, shape, color, adaptation to 

 every soil, <tc. Now I am aware I am going contrary to the favorite hobby of 

 some scores of wealthy amateurs, who have both the time and means to gratify 

 their tastes by protecting the more tender varieties through the winter ; yet th 

 have not the space to devote to so large a collection, are often at a loss 



