i68 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



ber to leave two buds on the scion. When 

 the grafting- is complete draw the earth 

 nicely around the vine, leaving- one bud un- 

 covered, which will help to keep the scion 

 moist till it will start to g-row. 



J. W. W., Jordan Station. 



Yucca. 



1 146. Sir, — Is the Yucca (filamentosa) suitable 

 for this climate ? Is it planted in tubs or in the 

 ground? Will it live in the ground all -winter? 

 Give -what instructions you can for planting and 

 culture of this plant of which I read in a former 

 number of Horticulturist. 



SuBSCRiKKR, Orangeville. 



Yucca filamentosa is considered to be 

 quite hardy in almost any locality in Southern 

 Ontario, and is suitable for planting- outside 

 under conditions that are favorable to plant 

 culture generally. I have known fine speci- 

 mens ot these plants to have been killed out 

 in very unfavorable winters, when there has 

 been no snow to protect them ; but this has 

 occurred on badly drained clay soils, a con- 

 dition that suits but very few plants, however 

 hardy they may be. 



A well drained, light loamy soil, is most 

 suitable for these plants, althoug-h they 

 oftentimes g-row and flourish for years under 

 less favorable conditions. A lig-ht covering 

 of dry leaves and straw, or long manure, is 

 advisable, but not absolutely necessary in 



favorable seasons for winter protection ; 

 care must be taken not to cover the plants 

 too heavily. 



In spring-, say early in April, uncover the 

 plants gradually, removing all the wet heavy 

 covering first, and replace the dry part ot 

 the covering again, so as not to fully expose 

 the plant at once to the hot sun in day time, 

 or frost at night ; the balance of the covering 

 can be removed as the weather permits. 



The Yucca filamentosa can also be grown 

 in large pots or tubs, and stood outside in 

 the summer, removing them before severe 

 frosts to the house or a dry cool cellar, that 

 has a temperature just above freezing point. 

 These plants require very little water during 

 winter, only sufficient to keep the soil barely 

 moist. 



The Yucca filamentosa is a native of the 

 southern part of N. America, and is a very 

 desirable decorative plant at all seasons ; 

 but when in bloom, its showy flower spikes 

 often three or four feet in height, makes it a 

 conspicuous and pleasing object on the 

 lawn or in the garden. It requires no 

 special culture, other than those mentioned, 

 except perhaps a few applications of liquid 

 manure in the summer if grown in a pot or 

 tub. 



Hamilton. Wm. Hunt. 



@Ip)©irii L^ttiiD'^ 



The Care and Planting of Spruces. 



Sir, — Why is it that we see so many la-wns and 

 gardens with such a number of dead spruce trees? 

 Is it the cold winter? Surely not. Does it not 

 seem to suggest bad planting, or the roots too 

 long exposed to wind and sun before planting ? 

 The writer has planted many hundred spruces, 

 and in all cases has had the greatest success. 

 Several things seem essential, but first and fore- 

 most, after selecting the place for planting, either 

 a hedge or single spruce, if heavy soil, prepare 

 some well pulverized earth and dig a large hole, 

 not necessarily deep, but broad ; place the tree in 

 it, having removed all mangled and bruised roots 

 with a sharp knife, and sift among the roots the 

 prepared soil, giving the tree a gentle shake to 

 settle the earth. If the soil is apt to bake it is ad- 

 -visable not to tread the earth too firmly round the 

 roots, as it sometimes hardens and recedes from 

 the sides of the hole as the hot weather advances. 



Fill up the hole level with the surrounding ground 

 and mulch with a thick layer of straw, hay, or 

 better still, when procurable, with lawn clippings; 

 this prevents evaporation of the moisture in the 

 summer months. 



The fall seems the most favorable season for 

 setting evergreens as they have the advantage of 

 being thoroughly established before the summer. 

 It is much better, where the soil is sandy loam, to 

 obtain trees from a nursery of similar soil. If one 

 is going to plant a considerable number of spruce, 

 I would advise the planter to drive to the nursery 

 with a wagon, having filled the box with wet 

 straw, and take the trees dug straight up from the 

 nursery, placing them in the wagon and packing 

 the damp straw round each. Then the roots do 

 not suffer from being both wind and sun dried. 

 Each root is covered with a resinous substance 

 which, if once dried, prevents it from taking up 

 both moisture and nourishment for the growth 



