THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



279- 



the former keeps well, and when fully 

 ripe, is an excellent squash, but the 

 Hubbard, Butnian, and Essex Hybrid 

 would be preferable to either of these, 

 were they not so liable to be destroyed 

 by the borer. 



In celery we have as yet tested no 

 variety which we would prefer to the 

 Boston Market. 



Of cucumbers, Tailby's Hybrid has 

 proved reliable, and is of excellent 

 quality. Early Rus.sian and Early 

 Cluster are excellent early varieties, 

 and the White Spine may be named 

 for a later use. 



The Christiana melon, among mnsk 

 melons, is an excellent one ; a reliable 

 bearer, and the hai-diest of any that we 

 have tried. Of water melons, Vick's 

 Early has proved as satisfactory as any 

 we have grown. 



Of radishes, the Early Long Scarlet, 



and the Early Scarlet Turnip-rooted 



are excellent for early use, and the 



Dayton and Gohlen Globe for late use. 



E. Lewis Stctrtevant, Director. 



NOTES ON ORNAMENTAL PLANTING. 

 The judicious and tasteful planting 

 of fruit and ornamental trees enchances 

 the value of real estate more than an 

 equal amount of money invested in any 

 other way. It is not necessary to have 

 a large extent of idle land in lawn or 

 dooryard, or expensive drives and fancy 

 walks, in order to give a country place 

 an attractive appe;irance. A plain neat 

 yard, with a few trees and shrubs well 

 selected and judiciously planted about 

 the grounds, and properly kept, would 

 often change the appearance of many a 

 place from a neglected wilderness to 

 that of a thi'ifty, comfortable home. It 

 is not desirable to have an elaborate 

 design to produce the best effect in 

 small places. To give explicit rules for 

 landscape gardening of universal ap- 

 plicability for amateurs to work by, 



would be impossible, but I offer the 

 following suggestions, which may aid 

 in perfecting a plan. 



Most persons who have any fondness 

 for trees or plants, when they once get 

 started in horticultural operations, be- 

 come much interested. The gi-eat secrets 

 of success in amateur landscape garden- 

 ing are, first, to become interested, then 

 to look and study and plan and con- 

 trive. A little ingenuity is also desir- 

 able, but it is not half so formidable or 

 expensive an undertaking to lay out the 

 grounds and plant a small lawn as many 

 persons imagine. 



Plant a few shade trees near the 

 house, about ten feet from it, on the 

 south and west sides, to screen it from 

 the mid-day and afternoon sun. These 

 should be rapid growers, as silver maple 

 or Carolina or balsam poplar. If these 

 trees are planted about ten or fifteen 

 feet from the house, they will give a 

 very appreciable shade in three or four 

 years, but they are not the most oi-na- 

 mental or desirable for permanent trees. 

 Rapid growth is their recommendation^ 

 and they will be too close to the house 

 to remain many years : therefore, plant 

 some finer varieties about twenty-five 

 or thirty feet off. For this, there are 

 nothing better than sugar maple, Nor- 

 way maple, horse chestnut, European 

 chestnut, ash, Magnolia acuminata, red 

 colchicum maple, svveet gum, willow- 

 leaf oak and mossycup oak. These 

 trees should stand about thirty or forty 

 feet apart, in order to have room to de- 

 velop into. perfect specimens ; but it is 

 often better to plant at half these dis- 

 tances, or plant some cheaper, rapid- 

 growing trees between them, in order to 

 shade the place quicker, and then cut 

 out alternate tiees in a few years. 

 There should be a vacant space directly 

 in front of the house, affording an un- 

 obstructed view from the street or road. 

 The trees which are necessary for shade 

 on the front side, should be trimmed 



