THE WEEPING ASH. 85 



preparation of the soil is needful, such as trenching 

 deep and turning in a good lot of manure. This will 

 induce a vigorous development of the head. Some 

 pruning out of the irregular and stubborn growth 

 will be necessary at first, and also some training of 

 the shoots while they are growing will be required 

 by placing a hoop over the head, to which tie the 

 shoots in a regular manner. 



Well-developed and old plants require frequent 

 thinning out, and the dead wood annually cut out. 

 Very often stubborn upright shoots will spring from 

 vigorous old specimens at the crown of the plant. 

 These should be cut clean off as close as possible to the 

 base from where they spring ; for if these sporting 

 shoots are merely cut back to within an inch or so, they 

 will continue to give the same class of wood for years, 

 which detracts much from the proper growth and 

 character of the plant. 



The Judas-tree. [Cercis Siliquastrum.) 



In Texas, U.S., this variety grows in abundance, and 

 is to be seen there in the spring, before the leaves 

 appear, most conspicuously covered with its pink-red 

 jHipilionaceous flowers. These spring from the hard or 

 ripened wood all the way up the branches. 



This tree is of a beautiful deciduous kind, not of 

 large growth, but it may be utilised for small places if 

 it is pruned annually by cutting back any strong 

 growth and reserving the medium young wood for 

 flowers. It will bear the knife well in this way, so that 

 the tree may be made to suit any place. Old plants 

 may be severely cut back. 



The Magnolia. 



All the Magnolias will bear the knife, but I now 

 chiefly refer to M. Grandijlora, a fine and popular 

 variety, much grown in this country on walls. It is 

 certainly a noblc-foliagcd species, producing grand 



