Work for the Month of April 



By Henry Gibson. 



PLANTING TREES AND SHRUBS. 



With the advent of April real activity begins in the 

 outdoor departments of the garden. The change from 

 the routine of winter is a welcome one, and a pleasnre 

 to ns all. 



^^'hen the ground is in good working condition the 

 planting of trees and shrubs should be proceeded with. 

 .\s si>on as the frost is out of the ground this work can 

 be done, but often the soil is wet and soggy at the time, 

 which prevents close contact of the soil with the roots. 

 In the actual operation of jjlanting, close contact of roots 

 and soil is most essential to success. The soil should be 

 rather dry than wet, so that when filling in around the 

 roots it will fill up the crevices completely. Sandy soil, 

 or even sand itself is excellent for this purpose. It 

 should be used only until the roots are well covered, and 

 then the usual soil can be utilized for filling in. Ramming 

 at the soil also helps to put it in closer contact with the 

 roots. Watering too is always of use in that it places 

 water within reach of the roots, and in soaking down it 

 carries the soil into closer contact with the roots, than 

 can be done by any other means. 



Pruning of the roots and branches is a part of the 

 ])lanting operation that should not be overlooked. 

 Nurservmen always endeavor to preserve as many roots 

 as possible when digging the stock from the nursery, but 

 no matter how careful they are, some roots are sure to 

 be damaged. .\11 such roots should be cut off to a smooth 

 surface previous to planting. From a clean cut surface 

 fibrous roots, which are the active agents in the absorp- 

 tion of plant food from the soil, are more freely emitted 

 than is the case from a ragged broken surface. Prun- 

 ing of the branches can be done at the same time, cutting 

 out weak ones entirely, shortening back others, especially 

 such as are misplaced. It is claimed by some authorities 

 that deciduous trees should be planted before evergreens, 

 but we believe that both require early planting. Of 

 course there is deciduous stock that is impatient of 

 growth, and pushes into leaf early. These demand at- 

 tention first, for if they are overlooked until the foliage 

 is well developed their success is not so certain. 



Much disappointment is often expressed at the loss 

 of the flowers of the early flowering shrubs. This is 

 undoubtedly due to their being planted in unsuitable 

 jiositions. The north side of the house, banks, walls, or 

 other buildings is the most suitable place for them. Here 

 their buds are not advanced and started into growth 

 bv the warm sun of late winter, only to be killed by a 

 belated cold spell. 



LAWNS. 



It is at this time of the year that the soaking rains and 

 melting snow of winter are of benefit to the lawns. With 

 plenty of moisture in the soil, and the warmth of the 

 spring the grass will soon get into active growth, and 

 assume that rich green tint that all welcome. Any 

 renovating that is to be done should be attended too as 

 soon as convenient. Moss should be raked oflf, weeds 

 rooted out, and top dressing of a good garden loam ap- 

 plied previous to sowing seed on bare .spots. 



.A. general top dressing for lawns that are anywaA' 

 impoveri.shed is made up of Ij/ pounds of nitrate of 

 soda and 1 pound of fine bone meal thoroughlv mixed 

 together and apjilied at the rate of six cwt. to the acre. 

 T\\o parts of good loam and one of sheep manure is 

 ako good and less expensive. 



BULBS .\NI) PERE\NL\L BORDERS. 



The material that has been used for protection on the 

 bulli betls and perennial borders should be removed as 

 soon as possil)le. The weather is considerablv warmer 

 now, and heavy protection left on too long tends to set 

 up premature growth which when uncovered is easily 

 killed by very little frost. In case when there is much 

 young growth, it would be advisable to leave on a light 

 covering, until the weather is more settled. It w-ill also 

 be necessary when doing this work and especially on the 

 beds of bulbs to take care that none are broken. Manv 

 of the bulbs will have made growth that have penetrated 

 well into the material used for protecting them and by 

 the careless removal of same much damage can be done. 



The present month is a good time to make a new 

 border, extend the old one, or do any transplanting and 

 rearranging that may be necessary. 



A perennial border is to be permanent for some years 

 at least, so see to it that soil is deeplv dug or the 

 trench is well enriched with well rotted manure. A good 

 coating of bone meal and wood ashes would also be bene- 

 ficial. Select a place for the border away from large trees 

 and shrubs, which rob the plants of much of their 

 sustenance. The time to plant is just as the plants are 

 emerging into new life. If you are dividing up old clumps 

 do not cut them into pieces with the spade, tlius destroy- 

 ing many of the roots, but force them apart by (jlacing 

 two digging forks back to hack. The outside and 

 vounger portions of the clum])s are more vigorous than 

 the older central portions and are to be preferred for 

 replanting. 



See to it that each plant has plenty of room to full\' 

 develop, massing them in conspicuous groups that will 

 make one sit up and take notice is far more satisfactory 

 than dotting them here and there. Blending the colors is 

 also im])ortant, so as to avoid having too many of one 

 shade together. 



HARDY ROSES. 



The planting of hardy roses should be proceeded with 

 so as to have them established as early as possible. Roses 

 reepure a situation with a southern exposure where the\- 

 can have full sun all day, and some shelter fn}m north 

 winds. \Miile they will grow and give good results in 

 almost any fertile soil, yet the ideal rose soil is a deejily 

 dug, well drained retentive I(iam. 



if the soil is naturally poor it can be renewed with 

 old sod from an old pasture, to which has to be lilierally 

 added w-ell decayed cow manure. When jilanting take 

 into consideration the vigor and growing habits of the 

 l)lants von are using. About three feet apart will be the 

 limit for the stronger growing ones and eighteen inches 

 for the weaker ones. Should the plants be on their own 

 roots there will be no suckers to contend with and 

 shallow ])lanting will be all right, but in planting grafted 

 stock it is advisaljle that the union is two or three inches 

 below the ground surface. By so doing the trouble froni 

 suckers is considerably lessened and the union is kept in 

 better condition. Dig the holes sufficiently large to allow 

 the roots being spread out, and work the soil well among 

 the roots, leaving it well firmed. 



Pruning also should be attended to, both of the newly 

 planted roses and those already established. There are 

 two main objects in ])runing roses that should not be 

 overlooked, viz. : the ])roduction of new wood and the re- 

 moval of all weak and superfluous growth, so as to 

 direct the energ\- of the plant into the remaining growth. 



