CHAMBERS'S INFORMATION FOR THE PEOPLE. 



over the heap, and in a short time it will be fit for 

 use. The situation best adapted for the heart's- 

 ease is one which is sheltered from the mid-day 

 sun, but which receives a little in the morning and 

 evening when it is not so powerful as to injure the 

 colours. Transplanting may be performed at any 

 season, but in doing so an error is prevalent. We 

 see the plants taken up with a ball of earth around 

 them, and planted again with it. Now, as every- 

 thing deteriorates the soil in which it grows, and as 

 the pansy entirely pierces every particle of earth 

 its roots can reach, therefore that which we take 

 up with it must be entirely exhausted. When re- 

 planted, the pansy can receive very little food from 

 its new situation, as its roots do not by nature 

 straggle far from the stem. To prevent this star- 

 vation, it is much better to shake away most of 

 the soil, and replant with its roots unconfined.' 

 Cultivators recognise three distinct races of 

 pansies namely, selfs, fancies, and bedding-out 

 or edging kinds, for the favourites in each of 

 which, growers must have recourse to the annual 

 catalogues issued by plant-dealers. 



The Pyrethrum is a hardy tribe of florists' flowers 

 recently introduced, and rivalling the well-known 

 China aster in the size, form, and colour of its 

 flowers. It is propagated by division, and thrives 

 in ordinary garden soil. All the kinds flower 

 most profusely in summer ; but a considerable 

 number of the newer kinds bloom again in the 

 autumn. 



The Phlox comprises a very numerous race, 

 which generally bloom in the later summer and 

 autumn months ; when they have few equals 

 in the flower-border for showy elegances, and 

 variety of colours, from the purest white to the 

 deepest purple or crimson. All are easily propa- 

 gated by either cuttings or division, and they 

 succeed in any fertile soil of ordinary tex- 

 ture. 



The Pentstemon, although strictly sub-shrubby, 

 is usually included among herbaceous plants ; and 

 its many varieties harmonise well with those of the 

 phlox, their propagation being also similar. 



SHRUBS CLIMBERS EVERGREENS, &C. 



Among these, the Rose unquestionably deserves 

 the first place, having from time immemorial been 

 a favourite in every garden. There are some hun- 

 dreds of species and varieties of roses ; among 

 which are included China-roses, hardy climbing- 

 roses, moss-roses, Scotch roses, hybrid perpetual 

 roses, &c. The China-rose is delicate, with few 

 petals in the flower, and yields a succession of 

 blossoms through a great part of the year. The 

 moss and cabbage roses are old favourites that 

 will never be discarded ; but modern taste is 

 chiefly directed to the 'hybrid perpetuals' and tea- 

 scented China-roses; while in shrubberies and 

 hedges the sweet-brier is entitled to prominence 

 from the delicious odour of its leaves, and should 

 have a place in every garden. All kinds of 

 rose-bushes are exhaustive of the soil, and 

 should be frequently manured, if not trans- 

 planted to fresh mould. In order to keep the 

 'perpetuals' in bloom, cut off all blossoms which 

 seem about to wither. 



For adorning the walls of summer-houses, cot- 

 tages, &c. the Honeysuckle excels, and should, 



568 



both for its beauty and fragrance, by all means 

 have a place in every garden, however humble. 

 The common and Chinese winter-flowering jas- 

 mines are tall running shrubs growing up in 

 numerous branches, which, being well covered 

 with small, narrow leaves, and a profusion of 

 flowers, are very suitable for leading up to veran- 

 dahs or concealing pieces of wall. The clematis 

 has recently obtained a prominent place among 

 florist climbers ; many of its varieties being unsur- 

 passed for the gay and long-continued profusion 

 of their flowers, which vary in colour from pure 

 white to deep purple or mauve, and in size from 

 three to nearly ten inches in diameter. 



Among the various tall bushy deciduous shrubs 

 most appropriate as an ornamental background 

 in gardens, are the different kinds of haw- 

 thorns, azaleas, viburnums, Wegelias, and lilacs. 

 Few out-of-door exotic shrubs surpass in beauty 

 the red, white, and yellow flowering currants, 

 several of the raspberry family, especially the 

 Rubus diliciosus of the Rocky Mountains, and the 

 white-barked Himalayan R. biflorus. 



Evergreens, -with the exception of rhododen- 

 drons, hardy heaths, and their allies, constitute a 

 class of shrubby plants more suitable for the 

 ornamental front-plots of dwelling-houses, or for 

 approaches and lawns, than for ordinary flower- 

 gardens ; because, although the green of the 

 leaves is pleasing in winter, when other vegetation 

 is dead, these plants are very exhaustive of the 

 soil, often prevent the sun from getting to the 

 borders, and keep the ground in a litter with 

 fallen leaves at a time when trimness is ex- 

 pected. Those that are most generally esteemed 

 for ornamental plots, or other limited situations, are 

 the innumerable modern varieties of the rhodo- 

 dendron, the various tribes of Laurels, Alaternus, 

 Arborvita, Holly, Juniper, Mahonia, Box,Laur- 

 usttne, Ivy, and other coniferae, &c. The 

 Laurustine yields a plenteous and early supply 

 of blossoms. The Arbutus is a beautiful shrub, 

 highly suitable as an embellishment in lawns ; 

 it has small, greenish, bell-shaped flowers, and 

 yields a strawberry-like fruit in early winter. Ivy, 

 the most pertinacious of climbing-plants, will grow 

 almost anywhere, and requires but little attention 

 in either pruning or training; many beautifully 

 variegated-leaved and other varieties have recently 

 been introduced, some of which form admirable 

 house or window plants even in densely populated 

 towns. 



With proper care, evergreens may be most suc- 

 cessfully lifted and transplanted either about the 

 beginning of September or May. The plan is to dig 

 all round them, at a distance equal to the compass of 

 the branches, sinking the trench to a point beneath 

 the sole of the plant ; then lift them bodily with 

 the whole mass or ball of earth round the roots. 

 A pit must be prepared for the reception of the 

 ball, and when placed in its new situation, fill in 

 the rest of the pit with fine earth, laying the root- 

 lets straight, and packing in all neatly to the 

 surface. A copious stream of water must now 

 be poured from a watering-pot upon the newly 

 placed mould, round the stem ; this carries the 

 particles of earth to the rootlets, surrounding each 

 with its proper nourishment, and giving solidity to 

 the whole. If likely to be exposed to winds, the 

 plant should be supported till thoroughly rooted in 

 its new abode. (See ARBORICULTURE.) 



