98 



JOURNAL OF HOETICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GABDENEE. 



[ August 7, 1873. 



.'i. Then, again, pulTerising soil enables it better to retain 

 the moisture absorbed. 



4. The soil, in order to be healthy and active, must breathe. 

 A light porous soil admits the air, and thus it is fed and greatly 

 invigorated by the atmosphere. 



5. The sun's rays heat a hard soil much quicker than aloose 

 one, and the hotter the soil is so much greater will be evapo- 

 ration from it. So that a hard soil is deprived of its moisture 

 much sooner than one of a loose texture. 



0. The roots of plants can find their way through a moist 

 loose soil in search of food much better than they can through 

 a hard dry soil. 



7. The soil that has been ploughed well and then liept loose 

 near the surface by the action of the hoe, will receive and hold 

 the rain water that falls, while a hard soil will allow most of 

 it to run off into the valleys and streams as it falls. — {New 

 England Farmer.) 



OENAMENTAL PLANTING.— No. 6. 

 ' EnoDODESDEONS and their allies are associated under the con- 

 venient title of American plants. From the great and peculiar 

 beauty of the entire class, but more especially of the Rhodo- 

 dendrons, they are certainly most worthy to hold a superior 

 rank to shrubs in general ; but it is questionable whether the 

 practice of separating them from other shrubs in the catalogues 

 has not contributed materially to the very ])revaleut but erro- 

 neous impression that, in order to succeed in their culture, a 

 peouliai' mode of treatment and costly preparation of the soil 

 are necessary ; and it is also probable for the same reason that 

 we so seldom find mixed groups or shi'ubbery borders enriched 

 and beautified by the presence of any varieties of this lovely 

 genus. What contrast could surpass in beauty or eJiect the 

 deep rich crimson trusses of Rhododendron John Waterer with 

 the profuse clusters of the deep golden yellow flowers of Ber- 

 beris Darwinii ? Not that I would often jjlaut two such striking 

 objects side by side, but rather sufficiently near each other for 

 the contrast of rich colours to produce its due effect, which 

 would be much heightened by the intervention of a Conifer 

 with deep green foliage, such as Libocedrus decurrens or Ar- 

 throtaxus selaginoides. Then there is a host of other excel- 

 lent kinds, with other shrubs, all equally valuable for mixing 

 ■ — ranging in colour from a deep purple through all the various 

 shades of crimson, scarlet, pink, and white, all very striking 

 and ornamental, forming a perfect treasury of objects rich and 

 rare, surpassing almost all other shrubs in the bright and 

 varied loveliness of the flowers that are produced in such 

 profusion, and that never appear to greater advantage than 

 in the setting of living deep green foliage, which from its ever- 

 green character, beautiful disposal, and fine form adds so much 

 to the value of Rhododendrons as decorative plants. 



There are in a few gardens in this country masses of the 

 famous old R. pontieum 20 to 30 feet high that are objects of rare 

 beauty ; and as it is quite within the bounds of possibility that 

 the most robust hybrid varieties will in time become equally 

 large, this important fact should duly influence our present 

 and future planting arrangements. Well-formed specimens of 

 even 12 feet high of such kinds as the pure white Mrs. Glutton, 

 or the newer crimson and scarlet varieties, would form objects 

 of such incomparable magnificence as it is hardly possible to 

 conceive ; and so in my advocacy for a more extensive use 

 of plants of this class, I would urge upon those who contem- 

 plate planting, to afford space for a few select kinds as single 

 specimens. Apart from that association with other shrubs 

 which it is desirable should become more general, the practice 

 of massing the various kinds in groups and borders by them- 

 selves is an excellent one, and the fine appearance of such 

 groups during the flowering season is too well known to require 

 one word of commendation at my hands. Some caution is, 

 however, necessary in the arrangement of these masses, for 

 however brilliant and dazzling maybe the effect of the flowers, 

 yet it must be granted that very much of the spirit and bright- 

 ness of the scene fades with the flowers, and that the foliage, 

 which alone is visible for so long together, is apt to appear 

 somewhat tame and monotonous ; hence the frequent attempts 

 to introduce Hollyhocks, Liliums, and Tritomas among them 

 are sufficiently significant and expressive of how prevalent 

 this feeling is. It is true we may relieve and brighten the effect, 

 as we do with hardy Azaleas, Kalmias, and Ledums ; but none of 

 these continue in flower long after the others, and it must not 

 be forgotten that it is of pure and simple groups of American 

 Burubs that I am now treating. It seems to me, therefore, 

 that the best remedv for this obvious defect is to hitroduco 



groups of other shrubs sufficiently near and among them to 

 relieve the monotony and sustain an interest in the scene by 

 imparting variety, and by the production of flowers at a later 

 period of the year. 



In forming a Eose garden upon an exposed position where 

 violent gales frequently swept across with great power, it 

 became necessary to make a shelter to break the wind's force, 

 so as to screen the tender growth of the Roses in spring. 

 Now, I had seen various screens used for this purpose, but all 

 of them were very formal, not at all ornamental ; they were, 

 in fact, just screens aud nothing more, very efficient for 

 shelter; but then, in forming a screen of living shrubs or 

 trees, by the exercise of a little care aud judgment it may be 

 rendered as ornamental as it is useful ; and so in the instance 

 to which I allude, instead of a row or two of shrubs of no par- 

 ticular interest, groups and belts of American shrubs, inter- 

 spersed with a few choice specimens of Conifers standing 

 singly upon the turf, were introduced with excellent effect; 

 for as the Rhododendrons began to fade, the clumps of Kalmia 

 began to expand into beauty, the persistent flowers lingering 

 on till the first opening Eoses gave promise of the rich display 

 to follow ; and thus by this arrangement a scene full of 

 brightness and beauty was secured for a much longer period 

 than would have been possible from the use of either class 

 separately. 



Very interesting and pretty beds may be made with many 

 of the dwarf-growing American plants, such as the Kalmias, 

 Gaultherias, Ledums, Menziesias or Dabcecias, Pernettyas, 

 Daphnes, Ericas, Andromedas, and dwarf Rhododendrons, aud 

 a group of these will be included in the following arrange- 

 ments : — 



Mixed group of Rhododendrons (firi. 1). 



