BEAUTIFUL TREES AND SHRUBS. 



471 



a judicious amount of water will help to re- 

 vive the plant, but even this may be easily 

 overdone and result in a mistaken kindness, 

 for the soil must not be kept wet and soggy. 

 When grown in a mucky nursery soil, it is 

 best to handle the choice varieties with a ball 

 of earth secured in burlap. 



The selection of a somewhat protected 

 spot is very desirable, especially in the case 

 of the more delicate varieties, such as the 

 junipers, retinosporas, and taxus. Exposure 

 to severe, or constant winds, will prove in- 

 jurious to these. 



The most effective, pleasing, and lasting 

 results in the planting of evergreens may 

 be had by judiciously grouping them, with 

 reference to their contrasting colors and 

 shapes, at the same time distributing these 

 groups over your grounds so that they may 

 be as suggested — effective in winter when 

 the field is all their own. The tall spindling 

 junipers, grouped with spreading, heavy- 

 growing spruce or hemlock ; the feathery 

 silvery or golden retinosporas, together 

 with the squatty-growing Juniperus Cana- 

 densis ; backed up by a few leafy Balsam Fir, 

 breaking the sky line — what combination of 

 ornamental trees could be more effective, 

 either contrasted with deciduous growths or 

 standing out against the snow covered 

 ground and the leafless branches outlined 

 in white. 



The long list of quite hardy conifers 

 makes it possible for one to assemble speci- 

 mens that cannot fail to interest and instruct 

 students and admirers of fine ornamental 

 plantings, just as a collection of paintings 

 or other works of art, and is an unending 

 pleasure to the owner as well as to all be- 

 holders. 



Among the spruce the Norway is always 

 with us. The Douglas and Hemlock of 

 feathery structure, and the Colorado Blue 

 are among the most hardy and attractive. 

 The Xordman and Concolor, of the Silver 

 Fir class, are hardv and distinct, and should 



be prominent in every collection where suf- 

 ficient room is afforded for majestic speci- 

 mens. 



Junipers seem to demand more care than 

 any other class of evergreens, though when 

 once established many of them are quite 

 rugged. The Irish we all know. Then 

 these in the Alpena Nana — low-branched 

 and spreading in habit; the Virginiana or 

 Red Cedar; and the Sabina, of dwarf 

 growth, and also the beautiful golden and 

 silver Japan, will lend life and variety to 

 any mass of foliage. 



Of the pines the Austrian and Pondorosa 

 stand out in the open and alone. The 

 Scotch, the White, and the low-down 

 Mugho pines are equally desirable, but of 

 slower and more moderate growth. 



The yews comprise many unique and 

 beautiful varieties, but they verge on the 

 tender class and should, if planted, have 

 some protection from wind and alternate 

 freezing and thawing. This is a point that 

 seems not to be appreciated by many. That 

 is : that if a plant is so situated that it may 

 remain frozen throughout the winter until 

 the opening of spring, it will survive, where- 

 as if the warm sun can occasionally strike 

 the bark and the frost partly come out re- 

 peatedly, the result will be a loss. This is 

 particularly true of evergreens and rhodo- 

 dendrons. 



The arbor-vitae form a class specially 

 valuable on account of their dense growth 

 and hardiness for hedging or screens, 

 though many of these are quite showy as 

 single specimens. Among the former, of 

 course, is the Occidentalis or American. Of 

 the latter class Pyramidalis, Globosa and 

 Hovey's Golden and Tom Thumb are quite 

 hardy, and should be given a place. 



Some of the retinosporas will, with slight 

 protection until well established, endure our 

 southern and middle Ontario winters, and 

 on account of their peculiar beauty and ef- 

 fectiveness are well worth the trouble. The 



