SOILS AND CULTIVATION IN THE FLOWER GARDEN. 395 



sent out every year, every lot is tied with Willow. Also, the French 

 way of using a Rush for tying, instead of twine or matting, is an 

 excellent one. It is a Rush which is harvested and dried carefully, 

 and it is the simplest thing in the world to tie with so as to allow for 

 the free growth of the branch, and yet keep the shoot quite secure. 



THE STAKING OF TREES AND SHRUBS. Whether staking trees 

 and shrubs or wind-waving is the w r orst evil is doubtful, but much 

 harm is done by staking, and it is costly and troublesome, especially 

 so -for those large trees that are seen in pleasure grounds, surrounded 

 by a kind of crinoline of galvanised wire. The evil of staking arises 

 largely from planting trees too big as " specimens." To plant these is 

 tempting to many, but generally we get a much better result from 

 small trees that want no staking ; but planting ornamental trees of 

 considerable size is so common that staking is frequently done, and 

 very often the trees are injured by the stakes, not only at the root, 

 but also much in the stem, which sometimes leads to canker. It is 

 known that canker (as in the Larch) enters the trees more readily 

 where the wounds are ready to receive the spores, and we often see 

 fruit-trees badly cankered through staking. 



The wire-roping business for trees is a nuisance, as the ropes 

 cut in if neglected in the least, and the tree often snaps there, 

 and when the ropes are finally removed the trees often go down in 

 gales. The best cure for the waste and dangers of staking is to plant 

 small trees, but often where this is not done for any reason (and some- 

 times there may be good ones, as in planting vigorous-growing Poplars 

 to shut out things we do not care to see) we may do good by cutting 

 in the side shoots close to the stem. This leaves the tree with little 

 for the wind to act upon, and we escape the need of staking without 

 injury to the tree. Transplanting trees involves so much injury to 

 the roots that somewhat reducing the tops does good in all ways. 



At Kew, when a large tree is transplanted, it is guyed up with 

 three lengths of soft cord (commonly called " gaskin ") if it appears 

 likely to become loose. This is better than a stake, cheaper, and less 

 likely to injure the stem by abrasion. A tree with branches low 

 enough can be stayed by driving into the ground three stout stakes 

 at equal distances round the tree, nearly at the circumference of the 

 branches, and tying a branch to each of the stakes. 



The picturesque grouping of trees and shrubs is a gain in the 

 avoidance of the trouble and danger of staking. For example, the 

 pinetum, as seen in many country seats, is a scheme in which trees are 

 isolated and dotted so as to encourage them as " specimens," which 

 is the wrong way and the ugly way. In Nature these trees are 

 almost always massed and grouped in close ways, so that they shelter 

 each other, and if in planting them we plant as a wood, closely, thin- 



