enilm-e changeableness of weather, and particularly aiUla 

 to its hardiness. There are many plants which are 

 hardy only if protected until the roots are thoroughly 

 established This is more often noticed with trees and 



tig after 



*A jJ'^ 





1046 A mixed Herbaceous border 



Strong looted plants which are able to penetate deeply 

 into the subsoil, but the same applies to herbaceous 

 plants, except that it is usually necessary to loosen the 

 subsoil to ensure penetration by their finer roots to a 

 satisfactory extent. It is not necessary to make the sub- 

 soil equal in richness to the upper portion, but it should 

 preferably be mixed with a portion of the surface soil. 



The fine roots are the feeding roots and the surfaces 

 of the soil particles are their feeding ground, so that in 

 making the soil particles smaller the feeding surface in 

 the soil is increased, thus allowing for more roots and 

 making available a greater part of the plant-food in the 

 soil. A fine physical condition can usually be obtained 

 by turning the soil over a few times. No soil should be 

 turned or handled when too moist to crumble, as the clay 

 In the soil is quick to become puddled, and therefore 

 impervious to feeding roots. 



Underground drainage is necessary, since roots can- 

 not grow in soil filled with stagnant water. Where the 

 natural subsoil drainage is not sufficient, artificial means 

 should be used. Unless the drainage is good many 

 plants will be injured during the rainier seasons or 

 killed during winter. Plants that are not firmly estab- 

 lished are often easily killed by excess of moisture 

 about the roots during their dormant season; for in- 

 stance, many bog plants otherwise perfectly hardy will 

 winter-kill if planted late in the tall A 

 further fact showing the effect of water 

 on dormant roots is that many plants if 

 cut down low enough in the fall to allow 

 water, as from melting snow, to reach the 

 root through the hollow plant stems will 

 often be entirely rotted by spring Thus 

 when it is necessary to destroy golden | 



rod the drv stems can be mowed in late i^ 



fall with asharp scythe. The vulnerability 

 of the root to water coming through the 

 plant-stem may be easily seen by compar 

 ing in the spring roots of corn, the stalks 

 of which were cut at different heights the 

 previous fall. 



The subject of feeding plants in general 

 is treated at some length under fettili 

 eers ami Fertilitti. vihir]! scr. In tl 1 i U 

 bordernolarge amount ..(■,■, ,„,-, li )h 

 fermentable material ^IkhjM Im u ill 

 enrichment of the soil shmiM, il | ill 

 be made while preparing the bordei ^nd 

 any fertilizers used should be well raned 

 with the soil. Even if a liberal amount of 

 stable manure is available, it is well to 

 use some potash or phosphoric acid in 

 connection with it. .V liL'lit to)i-dre sin g of manure gi 

 in the fall will kii.|. u|. ih.- I.rtilitvof the oil and afford 

 a slight winter |,r.ii.ri inn. whiidi is appreciated by even 

 the hardiest plants. ( ivcr-richness as well as poverty 



HERBS 



of soil tend to make plants in general le 



given, especially f<n- iliu lianlii r ^|mi>ic.. 

 constitutions anil l.-n - ^-m-.h ,,r ^i-.mih. 



having a season r t m \-au- viim r >i 



not overly rich t |i i lly iltlii- iii'Mti'm I 



A loose and open surface soil prevents 

 rains and waterings, saves some of the labor necessary 

 to keep the soil open and friable; allows the growth of 

 many smallei finer rooted orcreeping plants which can- 

 not grow well ma stiff soil; permits the sowing of many 

 nnnuals in the border Many low-growing plants are In- 

 lured on tlajej soil bj having the under surfaces of the 

 le-nes coated with soil by spattering of rain. A clay 

 soil may be made more loose by the addition of ma- 

 nures sawdust coal ashes, sand or almost any such ma- 

 terial A light fine mulch should be kept on the surface 

 of a clay soil 



Tl e I tints to be home in mind in planting should be 

 I Itl i 1 I ireful planting and sufficient thickness 

 1 1 1 1 II iits should be obtained which have not 



I a weakened plant will never make as 



I [ I u as if rightly treated from the start. 

 When I lints iie received from the nursery they may 

 be heeled in it necessary, but every day plants are left 

 where they have no root-hold on the soil is an injury to 

 them in proportion to the suitableness of the weather 

 for root growth If plants must remain any considerable 

 length of time before being placed in their permanent 

 position, it is best to plant them in reserve ground, and 

 to remove thera when desired w.ith balls of earth. 



Symmetry of top growth is to some extent, at least, de- 

 pendent on symmetry of root growth, so that by careful 

 planting the roots not only become more quickly and 

 strongly active, but give us hope for a more symmetri- 

 cal plant than can be obtained by careless planting. 

 The proper way to place a plant in the ground is equally 

 to distribute the roots about the plant, leaving the 

 tips pointed downward, and then to firm the soil suffi- 

 ciently about the roots. 



A piTonnial border should be planted rather thick, so 

 thrit when in foliage it shall appear as one mass. Any 

 sliMwin- cif ^i.il between plants is not only unnatural, 

 but lUstiMN s the beauty of the border as a whole. 



iVuil.i- P,;leclion of Herbaceous Pereitithils. -The 

 protectiou of species not reliably hardy may be accom- 

 plished with any material suitable for keeping out 

 frost which is not naturally too moist or close. The 

 material should preferably be heaped over the crown of 

 the plant, to shed part of the rain as well as to prevent 

 quick changes of temperature, or to wholly exclude frost, 

 as the plant may need. 



The material to be used will be decided by the plants 





to be protected 1 \ what i 

 an 1 by the pre en c i i 

 which often work unilei such 

 destroythe plants. Protected pl:i 



y obtainable 

 e ( r other vermin 

 enal as straw and 

 should be examined 



