NOV.] THE PLEASURE, OE FLOWER GARDEN. 589 



PRUNING TREES AND SHRUBS. 



You may now reduce to proper form any hardy forest or orna- 

 mental trees, flowering shrubs, &c., cutting out any disorderly or 

 straggling branches, and trimming up the stems of such as require 

 it. But the more tender sorts should not be pruned till spring. 



PREPARATIONS FOR MAKING NEW PLANTATIONS. 



Continue to dig and trench the ground, or to plough it extremely 

 deep, where you intend making new plantations in spring, by which 

 it will be greatly improved, and your business thus forwarded. 



Where dung is wanted, it should be given previous to the digging, 

 &c., and advantage ought to be taken of dry weather to carry it in 

 and spread it on the ground. It will be much better to give it at 

 this season than immediately before planting, as it will have more 

 time to incorporate with the earth, and to be deprived of its rancid 

 qualities. 



THE PLEASURE, OR FLOWER GARDEN. 



PROTECTING TULIP, HYACINTH, ANEMONE, AND RANUNCULUS 

 ROOTS. 



As it is not unfrequent in the eastern and middle States for hard 

 frost to set in towards the latter end of this month, you should pre- 

 vious thereto, lay a good lining of fresh tanners' bark, horse-dung, 

 leaves of trees, or dry straw, around the outsides of the beds contain- 

 ing your choice hyacinths, anemones and ranunculuses; this should 

 be quite as high as the upper parts of the surrounding frames, and 

 of a sufficient body to keep the frost effectually from penetrating in 

 at the sides, &c. Tulips will only require to lay a light covering of 

 any kind over and around the beds, such as straw, fern, leaves, &c., 

 for although the frost will not kill the roots, yet by slightly protect- 

 ing them therefrom the flowers will blow much stronger and more 

 perfect, than they otherwise would. 



Hyacinths, though very hardy, will also be greatly improved in 

 their flowers by protecting the bulbs in winter from severe frosts, 

 which may be effected by laying boards and mats over the frames in 

 which the finest sorts are planted; but these should be taken off every 

 mild day, or when the sun is so powerful as to prevent an accumu- 

 lation of frost in the beds. The less valuable and common sorts may 

 be protected as directed for tulips ; any kind of light covering will 

 be of use, and indeed they often flower very well without it. 



Two inches deep of one or two years old tanners' bark, if laid over 

 your beds of tulips, hyacinths, polyanthus-narcissuses, &c., in the 

 open ground, will afford the roots considerable protection; but be 



