FLORICULTURE. 271 



standing- some of the native evergreens, enough to show how 

 the present aspect might be improved by the tree planters' art; but 

 no general sentiment has been established favoring such landscape 

 embellishment, and chances are that these beautiful effects will be 

 lessened, instead of increased, as the j'ears go by. 



Except by the roadside, we must have no straight, formal or 

 geometrical arrangement of tree planting, — rather the appearance 

 of a scattered grove so arranged that we ma}^ see and be seen; if 

 we would be shut in, a high board fence will answer. If we would 

 look out our window, views must not be obscured with obstructing- 

 foliage, else regrets may mar the pleasure of our work. Roadside 

 planting ought not to be too profuse. Shaded lanes are well for 

 parks and village streets, but if they should become extensive in 

 the country, they would be monotonous.. 



In choosing shrubbery it is well to remember that we have them 

 with us all the time, and beautj' of foliage or fruit as well as flowers 

 must be thought of. For this reason manj^ of our native shrubs and 

 climbers are desirable. With a stout stake for a stem, our climbing 

 bittersweet, Calastrus scandens, xnay be made a beautiful um- 

 brella-shaped tree, and w^ith ampelopsis, native clematis and moon- 

 seed vine we have nearly all the climbers we need; but, having these, 

 we will in time surely add climbing roses and the manj- showy 

 kinds of clematis. Our native euonj^mus, or strawberry tree, is 

 always pretty, and is beautiful in the fall with its showj^ fruit, as is 

 also the deciduous holly, Ilex verticillatas. Of viburnums there 

 are several good natives to choose from. Then, too, are the cultiva- 

 ted species, never forgetting spirea Van Houtii and adding bush 

 honeysuckle, miock orange, hydrangea, lilac and others. We have 

 even for our trying climate more to choose from than there is room 

 for. To increase this list better consult the reports of your society 

 and of your state experiment station, rather than depend wholly 

 on nursery catalogues, for the word hard}^ in application is but a 

 comparative term, and most of nvxrserj-men's experience has been 

 gained in a milder climate than ours. Shrubs ought alwa5^s to be 

 grown as shrubs. Trim them to trunks like trees, and they are 

 robbed of their natural grace of form, while their tendency to sucker 

 is increased. For the same reason it is desirable to grow shrubs in 

 groups, and if we use the side of the driveway awa}^ from the lawn 

 for a shrubbery border, we have, too, the finest of places for herba- 

 ceous perennials, where some half hard}- plants would flourish, as 

 they could not in more exposed situations. Fortunate are we if we 

 can expand our shrub border into a background of evergreen 

 groups, against which maj' be seen in winter the bright tracer}^ of 

 Russian golden willow sprays or in summer and winter the grace 

 and beauty of the cut-leaved weeping birch. 



Roses we must surely have, and to give them special care and 

 winter protection as well as because they look better that waj', they 

 should alwa5's be grown together rather than scattered about or 

 mixed with other things. Those who are not well skilled in growing- 

 plants had better buy strong two 5-ear old bushes than risk disap- 

 pointment from little mailing plants which are to be had so cheaplj'. 



