82 LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 



desired and in which a tree is forced to do its utmost, 

 thorough cultivation may be required year after year, 

 but with other trees and shrubs which are for orna- 

 ment continual cultivation and spading of the ground 

 defeats the object in planting them. Spading and 

 forking up the ground breaks many of the roots, 

 requires much labor, and the result is not beautiful. 

 A mulching of leaves is not offensive even in winter 

 when stems are bare, and the decay of this mulch 

 will usually produce sufficient plant-food. Even 

 when additional food is required, there are ways of 

 administering it without disfiguring the surface of 

 the land. 



The roots of nearly all woody plants extend very 

 deep, frequently to permanent moisture. When 

 one looks at a hillside which is brown from dry wea- 

 ther, the trees, bushes and vines are usually green 

 and fresh looking. Occasionally, however, the trees 

 even in a natural forest suffer from drought. When 

 trees in home grounds, parks or other planted areas 

 suffer from an unusual or protracted drought, water- 

 ing may be necessary. In such cases, sprinkling 

 will not answer the purpose. A thorough soaking 

 of the ground down to the lowest roots is needed. 

 After such a watering, a week or ten days should 



