Isaac Hicks & Son, Westbury Station, N. Y. TSroad-leabed Evergreens 67 



Rhododendron Catawbiense Hybrids bordering a path under Sugar Maples. The harmonious blending of the colors 

 of Rhododendrons can be accurately accomplished from the descriptions in this catalogue. In such a situation as this, where 

 the effect is primarily for the foliage, some of the hardiest and more abundant varieties, having lilac or purplish shades, can 

 be used alone or with white. We suggest for these conditions Album Elegans, Everestianum, Parsons' Gloriosa, Pres. 

 Lincoln, Purpureum Elegans and Rhododendron Catawbiense, the wild species. Remember, just leaves, that's all, is the 

 essential in Rhododendron culture 



Broad-Leaved Evergreens 



The plants of this class may cost the most, but then they do the most. They decorate all the year, 

 nearly all of them have beautiful flowers or brilliant berries, and many will grow in shady places unsuited 

 for deciduous shrubs or hardy flowers. Many shun them, fearing that they are an expensive luxury and 

 are liable to fail. The failures have occurred from planting the wrong varieties, which are, unfortunately, 

 abundant and cheap. Other failures have occurred from lack of sympathy with their simple needs. Nearly 

 all of them like a mulch of about 6 inches of leaves or strawy manure in the autumn, to remain on 

 during the summer. Some of them prefer partial shade in the winter, such as they would get growing in the 

 woods. However, the root-mulching is three-fourths of their requirements and the winter shade and 

 protection from drying winds the other fourth. Architecturally, the broad-leaved evergreens are indispens- 

 able. They mask the hard line of the house foundations. Their rounded form and compact foliage and 

 their ability to remain small and not outgrow the situation are all elements of this usefulness. 



The climate and soil requirements of this class can perhaps be understood by looking at the map of 

 zones of plant life in a physical geography. The warm temperate zone of broad-leaved evergreens extends 

 through Washington southward. We are in the cold temperate zone of deciduous trees, and our broad-leaved 

 evergreens have all come up from the south along the coast, so Long Island is more favored than interior 

 points of this latitude. In Virginia and southward frost does not penetrate deeply and thawing days pre- 

 dominate. This is true on Long Island except in our occasional severe winters like 1903 and 1904, when 

 some of this class are killed back. 



The practical lesson is, mulch the ground so that sap can come up to replace that lost by evaporation; 

 second, check the evaporation by partial shade, especially from morning sun, which too quickly thaws 

 and dries out the frozen foliage. This shade is rarely necessary and is most useful from the middle of January 

 to the middle of March. This shade is so rarely essential it should not debar any one from planting thes"e 

 plants. Shade can be provided by boards, evergreen boughs, straw tied loosely around the plants, or they 

 may be planted on the north side of a building or under trees. We have made a careful and enthusiastic 

 study of both these and the evergreen trees and shall be glad to help solve any problems in connection 

 with their use We are growing the plants that fit, not importing and selling unacclimated plants. 



