March 28, 1914 



HOETICULTUBE 



477 



possible; the relation of soil and sub- 

 soil should not be disturbed by grad- 

 ing, if it can be avoided. In the re- 

 moval of soils to other places it is es- 

 sential that they be restored to their 

 original relation; that is, with the sub- 

 soil below and the loam on top. The 

 expense of such manipulation is more 

 than double the cost of straight exca- 

 vation work. A large amount of 

 thought is not too much to expend in 

 considering the removal of a very 

 small amount of earth; that is, if it is 

 expended in the effort to find some 

 way in which the removal can be 

 avoided. A little change in walk or 

 grade or some other modifieation of 

 an idea will often accomplish this re- 

 sult. 



Attention cannot be given too soon 

 to such natural woodlands as the estate 

 may possess. These areas are gener- 

 ly made up in great part of thick 

 growths of trees, which have injured 

 each other, more or less, by close con- 

 tact; natural perhaps in having sprung 

 from the soil without the aid of man, 

 but having, nevertheless, been subject 

 to such unnatural conditions as to up- 

 set nature's balance. The first opera- 

 tion in a piece of thick woodland de- 

 sired to be retained for natural effect 

 should be that of thinning. Trees of in- 

 dividual merit or beauty should have 

 Interfering trees removed to allow of 

 their development. 



In places, areas of greater or less 

 size may be found entirely filled with 

 trees, which, by reason of overcrowd- 

 ing, are so far impaired that they can 

 never recover their lost beauty. In 

 such cases, a free cutting should be 

 made, to allow light to penetrate, so as 

 to permit of the growth of saplings or 

 newly planted material below, and fur- 

 ther cuttings made from year to year, 

 as they may be needed. Judicious 

 thinning of all trees should be made 

 when they interfere with the growth 

 of better ones, noting at the same 

 time, and retaining picturesque group- 

 ings and pleasing combinations of 

 trees, preserving, meanwhile, a natural 

 appearance in the general mass, and 

 encouraging as much individuality as 

 possible without impairment of natural 

 woodland effect. This thinning will 

 permit of the passage of light to the 

 undergrowth, which will respond quick- 

 ly to its influence and will materially 

 enhance the beauty and naturalness 

 of the woodland. A woodland so dense 

 as to prohibit the growth of vegeta- 

 tion on its floor is dreary and monot- 

 onous. 



The improvement in the woodland 

 by thinning is soon noticeable. The 

 branches, instead of struggling upward 

 in search of light, spread out to such 

 an extent that it quickly becomes ap- 

 parent that the work of the axe 

 whether in woodland or plantation is 

 never completed: it is vandalism to 

 lay it aside. The best time for making 

 selections for permanent trees, in 

 plantation or woodlands, is in the sum- 

 mer. At this season the condition of 



the trees can be more easily ascer- 

 tained, as their relative position and 

 needs are more apparent than at any 

 other time. 



The treatment of old woodlands in- 

 cludes the careful cutting from the 

 trees of dead or diseased limbs. A 

 large proportion of trees come to an 

 untimely end because of the decay in- 

 troduced into the larger limbs and 

 boles, through the stumps of dead 

 limbs or branches. Each cut should 

 be made close and even with the bole 

 or limb where the severance is to be 

 made, and well painted over, renewing 

 the coat when necessary until the 

 wound is healed. 



No work in the development of a 

 country estate should take precedence 

 over that of planting, other than the 

 work necessary to make the ground 

 intended for plantation available. 

 Roads and walks are of secondary im- 

 portance in comparison. As a general 

 principle, it may be said that a border- 

 ing belt of trees should be planted on 

 the boundaries of the estate. Thi3 

 may vary in width in conformity with 

 the topography of the ground, or may 

 be omitted when desirable to obtain 

 cross-country views. This omission, 

 however, should only be done in the 

 case of the opening of views of excep- 

 tional interest or beauty. The border- 

 ing plantation also serves as a screen 

 to shut out undesirable features from 

 within. It gives, too, a sense of seclu- 

 sion and possession, which in a coun- 

 try home is desirable. 



Another principle in planting, is that, 

 generally, it is desirable to plant on 

 the high grounds and lay down to turf 

 the lower grounds, thus accentuat- 

 ing the topographical variation. Such 

 planting, however, must be subject to 

 the preservation or creation of pleas- 

 ing views within the boundaries of the 

 estate, or the shutting out of undesir- 

 able features. 



The preparation of the ground for 

 planting in masses should be done dur- 

 ing the summer previously to planting, 

 by plowing and deeply sub-soiling. 

 This should be repeated two or three 

 times to produce a good condition of 

 mellowness in the soil. Spring plant- 

 ing is preferable in our northern lati- 

 tudes. Fall planted trees, unless put 

 in early enough to have made roots 

 to sustain them, are apt to dry out by 

 evaporation during the long months 

 of freezing. 



A good method is to make selections 

 and purchases in the fall, which can 

 be heeled in and protected from dry- 

 ing winds. Then planting can be com- 

 menced much earlier, unhampered by 

 the delays of spring shipments from 

 nurseries. 



In planting for mass effects, plant 

 thickly; 12 feet apart is not too close: 

 the ground is the more quickly shaded. 

 The trees also shelter each other. 

 Thin out by transplanting, or even by 

 cutting out whenever the branches in- 

 terfere. Under no consideration per- 

 mit injury to be done by over-crowd- 

 ing. This method has many advan- 



tages; it provides shade for the ground 

 and for the trunks of the trees; it 

 permits of easy and cheap cultivation 

 of the ground by horse machinery; it 

 is a convenient nursery from which 

 finer trees can be secured each season 

 than can be obtained from commercial 

 nurseries; and it, also, gives a greater 

 number from which to select the per- 

 manent trees. 



It is well to plant the intended 

 permanent trees at a distance of from 

 30 to 50 feet apart, according to ex- 

 pective development. A second or 

 even a third arrangement might be 

 made, by using different kinds of trees 

 in each. The advantage of this plan 

 is that any one of the three arrange- 

 ments may be adopted and retained 

 when thinning. It is not desirable 

 to plant shrubs throughout new plan- 

 tations of trees, as they interfere with 

 the free use of the cultivator, which 

 is a valuable adjunct to the diligent 

 planter desiring vigorous and rapid 

 growth. Cultivation should be main- 

 tained for a period of three to five 

 years, when shrubbery or ground cover 

 may be introduced. Shrubbery may be 

 set out on the borders of the planta- 

 tions when the trees are planted, of 

 such wood bordering plants as shad 

 bush, red bud, witch hazel, viburnums, 

 cornels, etc. 



Of the kinds of trees to plant, all our 

 native trees are good, although some 

 are better adapted to our climate than 

 others. Of exotic trees we can always 

 find a place for the white willow, the 

 European beech or the European elm, 

 and others. The planting of a New 

 England country estate should consist 

 largely of oaks, maples, beeches, 

 birches, hickories, red cedars, pines, 

 hemlocks and spruces; for appropriate- 

 ness and beauty these cannot be ex- 

 celled. Exclude from the planting 

 lists exotic trees and shrubs which do 

 not blend with native material, and 

 above all bar out variegated sports 

 and monstrosities, which have no place 

 in planting for natural effects. 



The selection of a location for the 

 house is an important matter for con- 

 sideration. It would be difficult to 

 frame rules for guidance where so 

 many combinations of topography or 

 other existing features are apt to oc- 

 cur, each one a study in itself, to be 

 solved on the ground. Let us take 

 one example, however. Let it be that 

 of level open ground, then let us, if 

 possible, place the house with its back 

 opposite to the most uninviting aspect, 

 and behind the house plant a mass of 

 trees for a background, and irregular 

 clumps off from two or more of the 

 corners, for support to the house. Be- 

 hind the background of trees have the 

 kitchen garden. This garden may be 

 a walled garden, with espaliers, the 

 walls and espaliers for training fruit 



It may have also flower borders be- 

 tween the espaliers and the box-edged 

 walks. In that case the espaliers could 

 be used for training flowering vines, 

 delightfully quaint, while they would 



The Service Bureau 



OF THE 



National Association Of 

 Gardeners 



Is malDtained for the purpose of providing opportunities for efficient 

 and ambitious men engaged In tbe profession of gardening. 

 This department of the Association Is at the disposal of those who 

 may require the services of capable superintendents, gardeners or «»- 

 sistiint gardeners. Addres.s 



M. C. EBEL, Secretary - - - Madison, N. J. 

 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF GARDENERS 



