256 



GARDENERS' CHROMCLE 



or burlap may be tied closely around them and the 

 stout stake also which supports them. As regards the 

 rambler and climbing roses in sections where the tem- 

 perature goes so low as to kill back badly the long 

 shoots of the Summer's growth, each shoot as Winter 

 approaches may be formed into a coil, but not so small 

 as to break the shoot. The coils may be laid together 

 at the foot of the bush and covered with soil and 

 coarse manure or other material. 



Half hardy deciduous shrubs and dwarf evergreens, 

 whose branches hold the snow and are liable to be 

 broken down by its weight, should have one or more 

 strong stakes placed firmly in the ground near them, 

 and the shrubs and evergreens tied to them more or 

 less closely as they require. The surface of the soil 

 around them should then be heavily covered with the 

 usual materials for such a purpose, and if the decidu- 

 ous shrub is rather likely to be killed back more or 

 less in Winter, the covering may be heaped around 

 its main stem well up to where the lower branches 

 put forth. 



This broad leaved evergreen needs to be prepared 

 for Winter in a somewhat different way than rose 

 bushes and other deciduous and evergreen shrubs. In 

 the first place, unless the soil, in which they are grow- 

 ing, has been thoroughly soaked deep down by copious 

 Autumn rains, it will have to be watered with a hose 

 or buckets. Rhododendrons cannot retain their foli- 

 age in good condition during the Winter, if they enter 

 the Winter season with their roots dry. Some advo- 

 cate, when artificial watering is necessary, that before 

 the water is applied, numerous deep holes be made 

 with an iron crowbar among the rhododendrons or, in 

 the case of a single specimen, around it, since this 

 will cause the water to go down directly deep among 

 the roots. After the soil is well soaked, either by the 

 rains or artificially, a heavy covering of leaves or 

 manure, or both, should at once be put around the 

 shrubs. Lastly a shelter formed preferably with ever- 

 green boughs (red cedars are also excellent for this 

 purpose) set in the ground firmly, or by boards nailed 

 to posts, must be given the rhododendrons on the 

 south to shelter them from the Winter's sun, and on 

 the north to keep ofif the biting Winter wind. Of the 

 two the southern barrier is the most important. If 

 the rhododendrons are in beds, the evergreen boughs 

 or small cedars may be stuck in the ground around 

 the beds and in between the shrubs. If. however, the 

 shrubs are growing in such a position that evergreen 

 trees, or even large deciduous trees, shield them in 

 a considerable measure from sun and wind, the bar- 

 riers of boughs or boards are not necessary. 



THINGS AND THOUGHTS OF THE GARDEN 



{ Conlimtcd jroiu f'OiiC 246) 



L. llarrisi is reported to be larger and of finer (jualily 

 than for a number of years, and there are also stocks 

 of Creole and other lilies ofifered by some of (jur 

 Southern growers, so that we shall probably get a 

 fairly good su])ply for Easter after all. How wc shall 

 fare with the various forms of Speciosuni and Aura- 

 tum remains tf) be seen ; no doubt these will be late 

 also, and as the bulk are used for outdoor planting 

 rather than forcing late arrivals mean later ])lantings. 

 A good covering tjf leaves or straw will, however, 

 exclude frost so that it will be easily possible to ])lanl 

 these late arrivals even in late December or January, 

 which will be preferable to carrying them over Winter 



in pots. 



* * * 



The i)rcsent Summer has been one of the driest on 



record. In Boston only .34 of an inch of rain fell in 

 September and with an accumulated deficiency of the 

 year of 9 inches, it is not surprising that many cities, 

 towns and villages are in serious straits for water. 

 As the drought came in late Summer, the efifects on 

 vegetation are not nearly as apparent as if it had come 

 earlier and crops of both fruits and vegetables are 

 extremely good ; the Autumn tints on trees and shrubs 

 are also very fine. Lawns, unless watered, are a veri- 

 table eyesore with their accumulations of noxious 

 weeds and it has surely been a hard season for new 

 seedings. The continued dryness will assure us well 

 ripened wood on deciduous trees and shrubs, but it is 

 very serious for evergreens, more especially those 

 more recently planted, and copious waterings should 

 lie given these to save them. It is of little value to 

 pour water on the hard surface but if a basin with 

 a good rim of eaith round it circles each plant and 

 this is filled with water once or twice, and later the 

 dry earth is pushed back, we may rest assured that the 

 roots are damp. It is especially necessary that all 

 evergreens have their roots wet ere the ground freezes 

 up or we can safely look for a big death list next 

 Spring, particularly if the ground should remain her- 

 metically sealed as sometimes happens for many 

 weeks. 



LILIES FOR EVERY GARDEN 



{Continued from page 251) 



some well-known times sung until they become hack- 

 neyed, but the very charm of tlie tune was the reason 

 of its popularity. Grouped with grey bee-balm and 

 pale yellow day lilies (hemerocallis thunbergi) their 

 odd pinkish orange color is at its be$t. Speciosums 

 are jilanted in the phlox clumps which they follow 

 and alongside blue salvia. Martagon album in partial 

 shade- against a bank of ferns are dainty and hardy. 

 In a nearby rock garden there are quantities of phila- 

 delphicums which were transplanted from the fields 

 bordering on the woods to a dry. semi-shady place 

 where they are doing very well. 



I urge every one to plant lilies. .Start with a few 

 and you will not regret it. Try some kinds new to 

 you. There is no thrill for the gardener like seeing 

 a hitherto unknown flower opening wdiere he can 

 watch it. Lilies glorify the garden as no other flowers 

 do. Whether it is because the lily has been associated 

 with sacred subjects in pictures, tapestries and statues, 

 or solely because of its beauty there is something of 

 a spiritual quality about most of them. 



AUTUMN 



Thr \cllii\v vear is hasting tn its close; 

 The little birds have almost sung their last, 

 Their small notes twitter in the dreary blast — 

 Tlu' patient l)eaiUv of tlie scentless rose, 

 ' )tt with the mum's hiiar crystal (|uaintly glassed, 

 Hangs a pale nmurncr for the .Summer past. 

 And makes ;i little .Summer where it gniws: — 

 In the chill sunbeam of the faint brief day 

 The duskv waters shudder as they shine. 

 The rnsset leaves (ilistniet the straggling way 

 ( )f oozy brooks, which no (lce|) banks define. 

 .And the gaunt woods, in ragged, scant array, 

 Wraj) their old limbs with sombre ivy-twine. 



— Coleridge. 



