134 



PLANTS THAT CROW IN THE SHADE. 



There they have a damp situation, partially 

 shaded by lofty trees. Their dense masses 

 of broad leaves form fine heads of eight or 

 ten feet in diameter — in June beautifully 

 laden with large clusters of blossoms. 



riedera helix, or English Ivy. We so sel- 

 dom see the Ivy doing well at the north, 

 because it is planted generally in a warm 

 southern aspect. Put on the north side of 

 a building or tree it will soon cover a large 

 surface. It is the most charming of climb- 

 ers when established on a wall. 



Ilex aqiiifolium, and opaca, or Prickly- 

 leaved and Oi)aque-haved Holly, the best 

 plants for hedges in the world. 



Aucuba japonica, or Japan Gold Dust Tree. 

 This plant is not sufficiently known among 

 us. Immense use is made of it in England ; 

 its evergreen leaves, variegated with angu- 

 lar yellow spots, are beautiful at all seasons. 

 Perfectly hardy at Philadelphia. 



Buocus, or Box, bushes and trees. All 

 the varieties are successful in the shade. 

 The Tree Box is too little cultivated. There 

 are some venerable specimens on the estate 

 of the late Judge Peters, near Philadelphia, 

 twenty and thirty feet high. Those who 

 plant for posterity, should remember the 

 Tree Box and the 



Taxus, or Yeiv, which, though slow, will 

 reward even the beginner by its peculiar 

 tinge of green, and the wax-like beauty of 

 its coral berries. The Upright Yew, I found 

 in England, was left to its natural shape,and 

 was never trimmed ; it is always beautiful. 



Thuja occidentalis, the American Arbor 

 Vitce. — much to be sought for, for hedges. I 

 know no finer specimen of this plant than 

 the semi-circular hedge in your own grounds; 



but the man who first shows a Holly hedge 

 of any extent, will be best entitled to be re- 

 membered. 



Daphne inezereum. This prettiest and ear- 

 liest of spring flowering shrubs does best 

 in the shade. Indeed it often dies very 

 suddenly if grown in a sunny exposure. 



The Bloody Dogwood, (Cornus sanguinea,) 

 and the Parsley-leaved 2kinthorhiza, are ca- 

 pital under-wood plants for shrubberies. 

 The common Privet is, perhaps, one of the 

 very best plants to grow under the drip of 

 trees. Even in confined places in cities, 

 where nothing else will thrive, the Privet 

 grows exceedingly well. 



The Snoivherry, [Symphoniaracemosa,) and 

 the Indian Currant, {S. glomerata,) are 

 scarcely less patient of the worst situations 

 and exposures. 



Juniperis communis, or Commfm Juniper j 

 will do well in moderate shade. 



The Lily of the Valley, and the Peritcin- 

 kle, will be best in shade, and I have found 

 many of the genus Phlox to bloom without 

 a ray of sunshine. Among other herba- 

 ceous plants, I will only name here the 

 Moneyivort, {Lysimachia nummularia,) the 

 London Pride, {Saxifraga umbrosa,) the 

 Sweet Balm, {Monarda didyma,) and the Ane- 

 mone pennsylvanica. 



Now if I had known even this much, at 

 the commencement of my gardening labors^ 

 I might have saved much time and expense. 

 Will you not, as the lamented Loudon used 

 to do, give us lists of plants suitable for 

 particular situations, and tell us what is 

 hardy, and what will not bear our winters. 



J. Jay Smith. 



Philadelphia, July 20th, 1846. 



GuANo FOR Peach Trees.— W. W. Mills, 

 Smithtown,N. J., on the first of June, re- 

 moved the earth from the roots of his peach 

 trees, destroying the worms, then sprinkled 



a handful of guano about the roots, wetting 

 it and covering it with a peck of pulverized 

 and wet charcoal. The trees, sickly before, 

 then ripened their fruit in great perfection. 



