164 



THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY 



[June, 



ficient to enliven without producing a bizzare 

 appearance. The tout ensemble was a most de- 

 lightful combination of the useful, artistic and 

 beautiful, according to the natural fitness of 

 things. 



It has occasionally been the writer's privilege 

 to visit, though at long intervals, this popular 

 resort. And he pleasantly remembers his ad- 

 miration of the young and handsome Araucaria 

 imbricatas, which were not so common in Eng- 

 land forty years ago, with the many choice speci- 

 mens of coniferaa which then adorned the 

 grounds. But alas ! their beauty was all faded 

 and gone in the summer of 1881. At least 

 those of a teribinthine nature seemed to have 

 disappeared altogether from the terrestrial scene. 

 Closely environed with bricks and mortar, and 

 deeply dovetailed into the closely-built and 

 murky town, as is this bijou Arboretum, the 

 etatelj' young pines, once so pleasant to behold, 

 60on sickened and died. In other words, they 

 were suffocated with the dense and poisonous 

 smoke which frequently hangs like a dismal 

 pall all over the town. So after vainly struggling 

 for existence they, one by one, died off, and left 

 the deciduous trees and shrubs, with the broad- 

 leaved evergreens, in possession of " the place 

 that once knew them, but will know them no 

 more." 



There are hopes of better results attending the 

 prospective Pinetum, where the new Arboretum 

 grounds are planted, situated as they are at some 

 distance from the town where the atmosphere is 

 more congenial to their nature. 



At any rate the project augurs w^ll for that 

 ancient county town or, in fact, for any other 

 place where the public look fur innocent enjoy- 

 ment upon the face of nature. 



" Where various prospects gratify the sight, 

 And scatter fixed attention in delight." 



PRUNING ORNAMENTAL TREES. 



BY 



8. OLMSTEAD, RYE, N. Y. 



I beg a small space in your columns, to say a 

 word or two against the method of pruning flow- 

 ering shrubs, so prevalent among gardeners 

 throughout the country. Perhaps a good name 

 for this method would be "close shearing." By 

 it all the flexile beauty and grace of branches 

 and spray are destroyed, and the subject, thus 

 barbarously treated, looks now more like a bar- 

 ber's gigantic lather brush set up on" end, than the 

 beautiful thing it would become, if let alone, or 



at least, if judiciously pruned at the proper time 

 of year. By this method all subjects are treated 

 alike, not only those whose flowers are borne 

 upon the new wood, but also those which send 

 out their bloom from the previous year's growth. 

 All are cut to the same pattern ; and if anything 

 more stiff and formal, more shorn of all beauty) 

 can be shown, then I hope T shall not be there 

 to see it. 



As I write on this sunny, winter day, a glance 

 through a window near my desk, causes my eyes 

 to rest upon a shrub, which has been treated in 

 quite another manner. It is a Spirea prunifolia, 

 set out by my own hands, in the spot where it 

 now stands, just twenty-two years ago this com- 

 ing April. From that day to this no pruning 

 implement has ever deflowered it. It has grown, 

 as God intended it to grow, into a beautiful spray- 

 like fountain of green and white; and now, as 

 the gathering snow-flakes, rest upon its branches, 

 gently and gracefully bending them outward, 

 nothing but the green shimmer of the leaves is 

 wanting to bring to mind what a beautiful thing 

 it is when it is in full bloom. Surely this is the 

 better way. 



CULTURE OF HARDY CYPRIPEDIUMS. 



BY H. J. WOOD, UTICA, N. Y. 



I notice under head of Scraps and Queries, page 

 70, March number of the Gardener's Monthly, 

 your correspondent Q. wrote asking for infor- 

 mation as to the treatment of our hardy Cypri- 

 pediums. 



I have succeeded well for years with C. spec- 

 tabilis and C. parviflorum. The above are in 

 border on north side of my house, in rather 

 heavy, wet soil, and get no sun. The only care 

 they have had has been plenty of water in dry 

 seasons. I have also grown and bloomed C. 

 spectabilis in the open garden in light rich soil 

 with plenty of water. Three years ago at this 

 time I bad a fine pot of it in bloom in my 

 greenhouse. I can now show a well grown plant 

 which I think will bloom within ten days. 



C. spectabilis has withstood all sorts of harsh 

 treatment with me for fifteen years and I have 

 lost only two plants; one from forcing and the 

 other from long neglect. 



I have C. acaule liut only from last season; 

 therefore, cannot say what can be done with it. 

 It is under glass now doing well, also giving 

 it same treatment as above in border. 



C. pubescens is not in my collection, but I 

 would like to have it. 



