Editors' Letter- Box. 121 



Green Gage, Dorchester, Mass. — There is no reason why you cannot grow 

 plums if you are willing to take the pains. The only reason the plum-trees have 

 died out is the sheer laziness of horticulturists. Procure healthy trees (Ellwan- 

 ger and Barry of Rochester, N.Y., have them). Do not give too rich a soil. Cut 

 out black-wart, and burn all diseased branches, and, for a month in spring, lime 

 and jar the trees for the curculios, and you will have good fruit in spite of the 

 croakings of your neighbors. Dwarf trees are more manageable than standards, 

 and give as much fruit in proportion to their size. They should be well headed 

 in, and severely pruned, to promote the formation of fruit-spurs. All unripe 

 plums falling from the tree should be gathered and burned, as should also any 

 apples and cherries : each one, probably, contains a curculio-grub. 



Viator, N.Y. — Can the appearance of old shrubs be much improved by 

 heading in .-^ and would it be best to follow this course rather than to dig 

 them up and plant younger ones ? — Yes, very much. Clip them as you would 

 a hedge, and they will soon form a symmetrical head, and give a profusion of 

 bloom, if flowering shrubs. Unless the plants are very old, it is much better 

 than to dig them up. 



S., Boston. — A good edging or border for a flower-bed may be formed of 

 many plants. The great objection to all, however, is that they require resetting 

 at least as often as every third year. 



The common garden pink is neat, cheap, and pretty, and fulfils your require- 

 ment of being " about six inches high, and flowering." 



The common thrift {Armeria vulgaris) is an easily-managed and neat edging. 

 Any little piece will make a plant if planted in spring. 



The best way to make the edging is to procure some old clumps in early 

 spring, pull them to pieces, and set the plants about four to six inches apart along 

 the line of the border : by midsummer, the plants will touch, and the edging will 

 need no care for two or three years. Then the plants will die out in the middle ; 

 when they should be taken up, divided, and the edging reset. The flowers are 

 pink, plentifully produced in little heads in June. Cauipanulu carpatica is a 

 pretty Httle blue-bell, which might be employed with effect ; as also the white 

 variety. 



The variegated day-lily {Fuiiksia Sieboldii) is very showy, and forms an elegant 

 and most effective edging ; but, like all variegated plants, its colors deteriorate 

 towards midsummer. 



The hepaticas make a charming edging, brilliant in blossom in spring, 

 retaining their foHage in good condition well into the autumn. The best are the 

 double red and blue : but they are scarce ; and, if any number are wanted, they 

 must be imported. 



The dwarf blue iris (/. puniila), and indeed all the low-growing species, do 

 well as edgings, and bear cutting well. 



Annuals are of little value, as they last in perfection but a short time ; soon 

 becoming ragged. Dutch bulbs look well in early spring, but are of litde use 

 at other seasons. 



VOL. II. 16 ' 



