454 THE MAGAZINE OF HORTICULTURE. 



the cold soil, inundated by autumnal rains, and then frozen to 

 the whole depth, the tree loses all its vitality, and upon the 

 return of spring, not possessing sufficient life to push fresh 

 roots, death ensues. 



The question is not whether autumn is the best season for 

 transplanting evergreens, but whether it is not equally as fa- 

 vorable as the spring. To this end experience should be 

 directed ; a few trees set out at each season for two succes- 

 sive years would give decided results. If the experiment 

 should prove successful it would be a great boon to plant- 

 ers, for our springs are short, and leave us but little time 

 to complete extensive operations. The parching winds and hot 

 sun of summer follow, both fatal to newly planted trees. 

 Will our amateurs and nurserymen endeavor to give this sub- 

 ject the thought which its importance demands ? 



ROCKS. 



BY WILSON FLAGG. 



It is not necessary that an object should be intrinsically 

 beautiful, like a collection of water, to add a pleasing feature 

 to the landscape. Though rocks, considered apart from na- 

 ture, are unsightly objects, yet no scenery can be complete 

 without them. To a prospect, they afford a variety which it 

 would be difficult to obtain from any other objects. Without 

 them there is a want of those sudden transitions from the 

 smooth to the rough, from the level to the precipitous, from 

 the beautiful to the wild, and from the tame to the expressive, 

 which are essential to a perfect landscape. It is only among 

 rocks that the evergreen ferns — those beautiful accompani- 

 ments of a rustic retreat — are found growing abundantly. 

 There is no more beautiful sight than a series of almost per- 

 pendicular rocks, covered on all sides by ferns, with their 

 peculiarly graceful foliage, and here and there a rill trickling 

 down their sides, and forming channels through the evergreen 



