194 



THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY 



[July, 



merely meant that one half the plants were now 

 nothhig but the Manetti, on which the English 

 now bud extensively. The stocks had out-grown 

 the grafts. 



Herbaceous' plants are very liable to die out 

 by untowards events in Winter or Summer. It 

 is best to save a few seeds of the most desirable, 

 so as to have a reserve chance should the old 

 plant die. It is found by experience that many 

 live in rock gardens under the partial shade of 

 trees, better than in the full sunlight. 



The time will soon come when the heat loving 

 plants, such as coleus, alternanthera, and so- 

 forth, will be in their glory ; and a jiinching 

 back a little at this season helps them wonder- 

 fully. 



[Few persons have had the experience which 

 our esteemed correspondent has ; and notes from 

 his pen would be always acceptable. — Ed. G. M.] 



COMMUNICA TIONS. 



HOW TO TREAT EVERGREENS. 



BY C. A. D., NEW YORK CITY. 



I have read in a recent number of your inter- 

 esting magazine, the statement of a writer who 

 thinks it is necessary to take great care of the 

 leading shoots of evergreens. He seems to 

 regard the accidental breaking off of these shoots 

 as a misfortune ; and against this misfortune, he 

 proposes that they should be guarded by lashing 

 them to a stick sufliciently stiff to hold them 

 firmly against wind and snow. 



According to all my observations and experi- 

 ence of evergreens, this writer is mistaken. In 

 fact, the only care which the leaders of ever- 

 greens require, is to cut them off every year or 

 two ; and if they are broken off by the wind or 

 otherwise, the trouble of cutting them is saved. 



Nature always provides that this sort of tree 

 should grow vigorously upward, and all that the 

 cultivator needs to do is to see that the branches 

 are strong, vigorous and perfectly well furnished 

 down to the ground. This is done by checking 

 the upward growth. If the process is judiciousl}^ 

 conducted, the result is a healthy, symmetrical 

 and handsome tree. The Norway Spruce, the 

 White Spruce, the Black Spruce, the Balsam 

 Fir, the European Silver Fir, the White Pine, 

 the Pitch Pine, in fact every variety of this class 

 of conifers, can be made to attain their great- 

 est perfection only by this sort of treatment. 

 Cut off the leaders, pinch off the buds on the 

 top branches, and while the tree will not grow so 

 ast, it will be perfect. 



CARACANA ARBORESCENS. 



BY J. M. 



You have before called attention to the desira- 

 bility of this shrub in collections, on account 

 of its beauty when in flower. 



A correspondent writing from Winnipeg, Maii- 

 itoba, praises it for its extreme hardiness. He 

 says in the past winter with a temperature of 

 45° below Zero, and the snow blown from the 

 trees, young plants of it were entirely unin- 

 jured. In this part of Pennsylvania, it is in full 

 bloom early in May. I saw a bush about three 

 feet high covered with its deep yellow pea-shaped 

 blossoms. 



THE ARRANGEMENT OF LAWNS. 



BY ROBT. J. SIDDALL, GERMANTOWN, PA. 



(Read before the Germantown Horticultural Society. j 



A lawn, in order to fulfil its proper use of 

 beautifying a place, must be well made at first, 

 and, thereafter, kept in perfect order. While it 

 should have a fair allowance of trees and shrubs, 

 it must not be overcrowed with them, nor be hid 

 from public view by a high wall or fence, nor 

 by a close hedge. With the many fine country 

 seats around the city, it is astonishing how few 

 meet with these requirements. The house will 

 be built where it will show to the best advan- 

 tage, and the material used for the front will be 

 of better quality than the rest ; and then the 

 grounds will be planted thickly, and perhaps a 

 close hedge placed in front, as if in a vain en- 

 deavor to hide from the tax collector. This is 

 sometimes carried to such excess that there is 

 merely a suggestion of a dwelling, but whether 

 a log hut or a palace is unknown except to ac- 

 quaintances, tramps, and the ubiquitous asses- 

 sors. 



In making a lawn, either sod or a good mixture 

 of grass seed can be used. The former is best 

 when an immediate finish is desired, and though 

 it is necessary when making a terrace, or where 

 there is a liability to wash with heavy rains, yet 

 in covering a large surface the cost is a decided 

 objection to its use. It has been said there is 

 more risk from the weeds being introduced than 

 if the ground is seeded; but this has no weight, 

 as clean sod should be selected and it is then no 

 more subject to weeds than if raised from seed. 

 It can be planted whenever it is in good grow- 



