112 EVERGREEN HEDGES. \_August. 



thereby not encouraging tLe bud to groW; wbich^ if winter 

 sets in early, is the safest method. 



OF WATERING. 



If the season be dry, look over the lately planted shrubs, 

 and give them frequent copious waterings; and a few of the 

 finest annuals that are wanted to flower perfectly should be 

 attended to. We do confess that we used to be advocates 

 for giving plenty of water to the Dahlia, but the severe 

 drought of 1838 put our science to the test, and the result 

 was, that of about one hundred plants of our most choice 

 kinds, which we regularly watered three times a-week, for 

 nine weeks, during which period we had not a drop of rain, 

 the plants grew luxuriantly, but many of them never pro- 

 duced a perfect bloom; and those that had no attention 

 whatever paid to them, except a little manure or litter laid 

 OD the surface over the roots, flowered almost as well as in our 

 more moist seasons. Hence we infer that an occasional water- 

 ing may be of service, but continued and repeated artificial 

 waterings are injurious. 



AUGUST. 



EVERGREEN HEDGES. 



These always make two growths in the season, and the 

 best time to perform the operation of clipping or dressing 

 them is before the plants begin their second growth. Choose, 

 if possible, dull and cloudy days, as in such weather they 

 will not be so liable to get brown or bruised by shearing. 

 The general practice in forming these is to have the sides 

 even and the top level, forming a right angle on each side. 

 However neat in appearance this may be considered, it 

 certainly is stiff" and formal. We^never approve of clipping 

 where it can be avoided, and, when adopted, nature ought to 



