of R ural Art and Taste. 



81 



the exact curve or precise circle in landscape 

 gardening. 



For a few years after planting, shrubbery 

 needs shearing, to produce a dense habit ; 

 but, as good taste deprecates anything like 

 regularity of form, it is best to let Nature 

 have her own way as soon as the requisite 

 bushy habit has been gained. 



We have a class of shrubs not cultivated 

 for the beauty of their bloom alone, but for 

 the showy appearance of the foliage as well. 

 Take, for instance, the Purple Barberry, 

 Dwarf Variegated Wiegela, Variegated 

 Elder, Purple Hazel, Variegated Dogwood, 

 etc., and set these in a group. We thus 

 produce a constant show all the season 

 through. And, whilst beauty of foliage is 

 being discussed, let us suggest the Green 

 Briar and American Ivy, to clamber over 

 a mass of common coarse shrubs somewhere 

 in the background of the place; so that, in ad- 

 dition to the graceful festooning during sum- 

 mer, in the autumn they will be gorgeous in 

 color and we shall be well repaid for trouble. 



We will allude to one other system of 

 arrangement in planting, and then pass to 

 the consideration of the shrubs themselves. 

 Bedding is practiced only with special kinds 

 • — that is, a bed of any shape in keeping 

 with the location is dug, and, after being 

 suitably prepared, the plants are set at 

 proper distances to form a complete mass. 



Roses, Rhododendrons, Azaleas, etc., are 

 all examples of this character, and show to 

 far greater advantage than when dotted 

 about singly upon the grass. In these beds 

 bulbs of various kinds may be introduced, 

 especially Gladiolus and Lilies. 



For convenience of description, we pro- 

 pose to arrange our most popular flowering 

 shrubs into three distinctive classes. First, 

 those of largest size, used mainly for the 

 backgrounds of large groups, for screening 

 unsightly objects, and for shelter belts; 

 secondly, those of medium size, embracing, 

 perhaps, the greatest assortment of beau- 

 tiful species and varieties ; and lastly, the 

 low-growing plants, suitable for the outer 

 edge of clumps, as well as for small clumps 

 6 . 



themselves, and for bedding purposes. In 

 the first of these, recent introductions can- 

 not well surpass the fine old Snowball, 

 common Pink and White Lilacs, Double 

 Corchorus, Sweet-scented Shrub [Calycan- 

 thus), Missouri Currant, Burning Bush 

 (Euonymus Europeus), and Mock Orange or 

 Syringa {Philadelphus). Instinctively our 

 thoughts revert to these as a part of our 

 childhood's treasures, that we wish to pre- 

 serve as long as life shall last. 



[To he co)itiimed,] 



Supports for Climbers. — We have 

 standing in flower beds on our lawn two rus- 

 tic supports for flowering vines, roses and 

 the like, that are so pretty, cheap, easily 

 made and eflficient, that I thought some of 

 your many readers might, perhaps, like to 

 make something of the kind for themselves. 

 Ours are made of red cedar bean poles, ten 

 or twelve feet long, simply nailed together 

 where they cross each other. Very likely 

 they may be made diff"erent from either of 

 these, and be equally pretty. They look 

 well on a lawn in winter, when, of course, 

 they ai'e naked ; but, when clothed with 

 brilliant flowers in summer, they are beau- 

 tiful. — Country Gentleman. 



Prolongation of Bloom. — An exchange 

 states having recently seen an instance of 

 roses being preserved from early frosts which 

 it deems worthy of note. They were chiefly late 

 bloomers and at midsummer, after the first 

 late bloom was over, the bushes were pruned 

 and pegged down within a few inches of the 

 ground, and small stakes were set among 

 them a few inches higher than the plants. 

 Every evening, when there is appearance of 

 frost, mats used for protecting hot beds are 

 thrown over them. By this slight protection 

 they are yet in the greatest perfection, while 

 others uncovered have been much injured 

 and have generally ceased to bloom. Such 

 of our readers as have these beautiful plants 

 yet unharmed cannot do better than try this, 

 as many of the finest roses only produce 

 their best bloom after the greatest heat of 

 the season has past. Other late blooming 

 plants might also be protected in this way. 



