THE 



GARDENER'S MONTHLY 



AND 



HORTICULTURIST. 



DEVOTED TO HORTICULTURE, ARBORICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS. 



Edited by THOMAS MEEHA.N. 



Vol. XXI. 



MARCH, 187:i. 



Nniuber 248. 



Flower Garden and Pleasure Ground. 



SEASONABLE HINTS. 



With Marcli almost any flower seeds may be 

 sown. Choose a time when the sm-face is a little 

 dry, and the earth will powder under a slight 

 blow. Sow the seeds shallow, barely covering 

 them, but Ideating the dryisli earth firmly after 

 sowing. 



Divide herbaceous plants when required ; this 

 work cannot be done too early. If delayed till 

 after the plants have grown into leaf, the flower- 

 ing will be very weak. 



Plant trees and shrubs as soon as the earth is 

 a little dry. Ram the earth tightly about the 

 roots. Few do this work well, and more trees 

 die from loosely filled in earth than from any 

 other cause. Trees never need water at trans- 

 planting if the earth is rammed in tight enough. 

 If the roots have been injured in digging, or the 

 branches or roots are somewhat dry, prune the 

 branches accordingly. Fibrous rooted trees suf- 

 fer more from drying than those with a few 

 coarse roots. 



In laying out new places of small extent, be 

 careful of aping "principles of landscape garden- 

 ing" that are only applicable to places of large 

 extent. Remember that everything we do should 

 have a meaning, and that this meaning as often 

 depends on the time and circumstances as on any 

 real existence in the principles themselves. It 



will be a failure to attempt to make a two bund 

 red feet square lot look like a "country place." 

 It is better to make the gardening border a little 

 on the artificial. In this, terraces, vases, and 

 architectural objects will aff'ord much assistance ; 

 and neatness, polish, and finish generally, be 

 more pleasing than the sober negligence that 

 should characterize a more quiet and extensive 

 natural scene. 



ShrulDS are not near enough employed in plant- 

 ing small places. By a judicious selection, a 

 place may be had in a blooming state all the 

 year; and they, besides, give it a greater interest 

 by their variety than is obtained by the too fre- 

 quent error of filling it up with but two cr three 

 forest trees of gigantic growth. Plant thickly at 

 first, to give the place a finished appearance, 

 and thin out as they grow older. Masses of 

 shrubs have a fine effect on a small place. The 

 centre of such masses should be filled with ever- 

 green shrubs, to prevent a too naked appearance 

 in the winter season. 



Ornamental hedges judiciously introduced into 

 a small place, add greatly to its interest. No 

 easier method ofters whereby to make two acres 

 of garden out of one in the surveyor's draught. 

 The Arbor Vitic, Chinese and American, Hem- 

 lock, Holly, Beech, Hornbeam, Pyrus japonica, 

 Privet, and Buckthorn may be applied to this 

 purpose. 



