262 



HORTICULTURE 



September 8, 1906 



of structural form should be avoided as far as possible. 

 All stones are to be rammed and pounded hard to pre- 

 vent any giving way from the bulk. 



PLANTING TIME AND PLANTING. 



Preferably the best time for planting is in spring, as 

 soon as the danger of frost is past and the earth Ijegins 

 to get warm. Planting may be done, however, at any 

 time when the plants and their places are ready for 

 them. Whenit is necessary to revise the planting after, 

 a season's growth, September is the best month; this 

 will permit the i>lants to get established and well 

 rooted before winter. Too much care cannot be given 

 to making all plants very firm in their places and to 

 be careful not to plant too deep, and all plants should 

 be thoroughly soaked with water to complete the work 

 properly. The observant planter will know whether 

 to use heavy or light, or very sandy soil, according to 

 the strength and general growth of the plants as these 

 will appear when they are developed. 



I strongly advise the planting of the delicate grow- 

 ing and also the tender kinds of plants in wire baskets, 

 made either of galvanized wire or real copper wire. 

 These baskets to be comparatively small, the meshes 

 of the smallest not less than an inch in diameter, and 

 those in the larger from 1 1-2 to 3 or more inches. 

 These baskets can be made in any shape to fit the 

 places they are to occupy; any handy man with a pair 

 of pliers can make them. Wien in the fall the tender 

 and the frail plants have to be protected the value of 

 these baskets will be realized; some of the very small 

 plants, though they be impervious to cold, are more 

 easily taken care of in temporary quarters, whence they 

 can be turned out again in the spring unscathed. 



Caring for a rockery means no more and no less than 

 does the care of any other branch of gardening where 

 it is successfully carried out. A don't care treatment 

 will bring about the same results as it does in a potato 

 patch or cornfield; good care always repays. After the 

 planting is carefully done then comes watering. Two, 

 or at most three thorough soakings a week is a great 

 deal better than a mere sprinkling every day, and it 

 cannot be too strongly impressed on those who do the 

 work. Wlien the plants are growing rapidly, liquid 

 manure should be given once a week, or nitrate of 

 soda, or guano, or ammonia in solution — in fact any 

 thing that will develop and strengthen the plants. 

 Rockery plants thrive on good living equally as well as 

 chrysanthemums; a no starvation sign should be in 

 every garden. Weeds must be kept down; strong 

 growing plants must be kept from crowding the weaker 

 ones; delicate ones may need a little petting and tall 

 ones staking, and insects liave to be fought, which in 

 these days is an easy matter. 



WHAT TO PLANT. 



The number of plants suitable for rockery planting 

 is astonishing; I mean such plants as really are more 

 effective in elevated positions than on the ground level. 



A total of over one hundred and fifty genera, emljrac- 

 ing nearly five hundred species, exclusive of bulbous 

 plants, of wMch there is a score of species and not 

 including numberless varieties, or annuals, may very 

 easily be collected. No form of gardening is capable 

 of presenting in comparatively small spaces as much 

 variety in forms or colors. 



In making collections, however small, there are .some 

 genera which cannot be dispensed with, such as achil- 

 lea, alyssum, anemone, aster, armeria, aquilegia, aubre- 

 tia, campanula, delpliinium, dianthus, geranium, geum, 

 lychnis, malva, myosotis, plilox, ranunculus, sasifraga, 

 silence, sedum, sempervivum, viola, etc. Of these there 

 are from eight to twenty or more species each. It is 

 desirable to group as niany of the species in close 

 proximity when space will permit. Of the following, 

 one or more plants of each will be almost indispensa- 

 ble: Actaea, adonis, arabis, arbutus, asarum, Asclepias 

 tuberosa, asperula, convallaria, dicentra, dodecatheon. 

 draba, g}'psophila. Daphne cneorum, heuchera, housto- 

 nia, leontodon. Lobelia cardinalis, mertensia. mitcbella, 

 Iceland poppies, saponaria, sanguinaria, statice, tril- 

 lium, trollius, uvularia, walilenbergia, wulfenia. 



No rockwork is complete without a selection of bulbs, 

 the majority of which should be grown on the lower 

 tables — such as aconite, Atamasco lily, chionodoxa, 

 colchicum, crocus (several sj^ecies), hyacinthus (sev- 

 eral species), iris, lilies (many species), crown impe- 

 rial, cyclamen, dogtooth violet, gladiolus species, nar- 

 cissus (species and varieties), omithogalum, fcilla, 

 snowdrop and tulips (species). 



PROPAGATION AND PUOTECTION. 



Propagation is by the general methods as in other 

 classes of plants : seed when convenient and best, other- 

 wise by cuttings, layers or divisions. For protection 

 it is desirable after Thanksgiving or a little before to 

 cover up either with dry leaves, slender twigs of de- 

 ciduous trees, or evergreen branches, or these may be 

 used jointly. The covering must not be too heavy; if 

 it is placed on thick enough to well secure shade from 

 the Sim's rays it is best and sufficient. Don't use green 

 manure. Some few specimens may be wrapped in 

 clean straw, but beware of mice. All the tender plants 

 are best cold in a cold greenhouse or in a dry, deep, 

 cold frame away from the sun where freezing and 

 thawing cannot occur, or in a dry, light cellar where 

 potatoes are readily kept in good condition. Pack close 

 together tightly in soil and keep rather dry and plant 

 out in the spring when the proper time comes. 



The few notes here given in the interest pf rockeries 

 and alpine gardening is but a tithe of what could be 

 said, and to whicli \hey deservedly are entitled. 



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