^^ 



THE 



OLUB 



GARDENER'S MONTHLY 



AND 



HORTICULTURIST. 



DEVOTED TO HORTICULTURE, ARBORICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS. 



Z 



Edited by THOMAS MEEHAlN. 



Vol. XXIV. 



NOVEMBER, 1882. 



Number 287. 



Flower Garden and Pleasure Ground. 



SEASONABLE HINTS. 



The subject of growing evergreen hedges 

 under the shade of deciduous trees, has been 

 referred to of late in our magazine. Some ob- 

 servers record that thej' have seen them do very 

 well. We have ourselves seen cases where the 

 evergreens forming the hedge did not seem to 

 mind the trees in the least, and yet it is clear 

 that in a large number of cases the hedges do 

 suffer from large trees over them. But it is not 

 the shade which injures, for evergreens rather 

 like shade; but the trouble is from the drying 

 out of the moisture by the strong roots of the 

 deciduous trees, and to some extent by the 

 poverty of the soil, caused by the numerous 

 fibrous roots of the large trees eating up all the 

 food. The evergreens in the hedge often do not 

 die at once, but their vital powers are injured 

 during summer, and then cold winds or even 

 moderate frost make easy victims of them. 

 Now it sometimes happens that the large trees 

 do not always take all the moisture, or all the 

 food, and then the evergreens will not suffer. 

 Where we feel sure these conditions will be per- 

 manent, we may plant evergreen hedges under 

 large forest trees ; but as a rule it is not to be 

 commended. Some deciduous plant had better 



be employed. But there are times when it may 

 be very desirable to have an evergreen hedge 

 under trees. In this case dig a deep trench — a 

 trench say two feet deep, between the hedge and 

 the trees, cutting off the roots of the trees. Do 

 this about every third year, filling in the earth, 

 of course, after the roots of the strong tree have 

 been cut ofi", and add a little very well rotted 

 manure once in a while. With this extra trou- 

 ble an evergreen hedge can be made to do well 

 under large deciduous trees. Of evergreens for 

 hedges, there are few better than the old arbor- 

 vitse, hemlock spruce, and Norway spruce. 

 Scotch pine, white pine and others are some- 

 times used, and indeed any pine or coniferous 

 tree makes a fair hedge, as they all bear pruning 

 well. The holly makes a remarkably good 

 hedge; but in our country the difficulty of 

 raising the plant is against its cheapness and, 

 consequently extensive use. Many die after 

 transplanting in our country, but if all the 

 leaves are taken off when transplanted, and they 

 are treated as ordinary deciduous trees, they 

 seldom die on removal. It may be said of all 

 trees and shrubs, as of evergreens under trees, 

 that they love cool, rich soil, where water comes 

 to them often and easily drains away. This is 

 the great success of Rhododendron and hardy 

 Azalea culture. They will do well in almost any 



