82 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



for planting in broad masses as a fringe or margin to shrub planta- 

 tions; may even be used as carpet plants where choice shrubs 

 stand widely apart ; but beyond this they justify the making of 

 a special feature, especially where the topography or geological 

 formations permit. Take, for example, a spot overlying rock 

 with rocky outcroppings here and there, but some depth of soil 

 between ; it is ideal for the purpose. Again, upon hundreds of 

 places there yet remain those boulder reminders of the glacial 

 epoch. These can be brought into use and help in forming a 

 rock garden that will be satisfactory, a delight instead of an eye- 

 sore. 



Instead of piling rocks high in heaps with the interstices fiUed 

 with soil that is too often dry as dust, an altogether inadequate 

 method for a country of great summer heat and limited rainfall, 

 these same stones may be used to assist in correcting or ameliorat- 

 ing adverse conditions of climate. Doubtless, you have often 

 placed your hand upon a rock or stone on a hot summer day and 

 noted its absorbency of heat. Lift a rock or stone on a hot day 

 and place your hand on the ground where it rested and note how 

 cool the ground is in comparison, not only with the rock but with 

 the surrounding bare earth. In like manner rocks may be made 

 of assistance in growing some of these choice spring flowers even 

 upon level ground, some of the smaller ones lying on the surface ; 

 others, larger, buried one-half or two-thirds, furnishing protection 

 and a cool root run to the plants clustered about them. Rock 

 gardens have been failures because the rocks were in excess or 

 misused, but the proper use of them in bed or border or on a 

 sunny slope subordinated to the purpose in view, as aids to culti- 

 vation, opens the way to the creating of a garden feature of per- 

 manent interest and perennial charm. 



Late spring and early summer floicers. The continuing of 

 the floral procession brings next to view the taller plants with 

 larger floivers, and a veritable host is at our command. 



How can Ave marshal such a force ? How can we hold an 

 adequate review of Flora's arm}^ within the limits of the average 

 garden '? It is not possible. The amassing of a collection of hardy 

 herbaceous plants in a long mixed border is at its best a mere col- 

 lection of units, yet collections more or less in number mainly 



