268 The Canadian Horticulturist 



ARRANGE TREES ON COUNTRY PI, ACES. 



N plantations depends largely the successful composition and coloring 

 of a country place. The first thing to consider before you begin to 

 plant is the adjustment of your views, vistas or outlooks. Ordinarily, 

 except where you require, for some reason, a special outlook, the 

 entire outside border of the place should be planted with a mass of 

 trees and shrubs, making a hedge of irregular waving lines. Or- 

 dinarily, too, there should be something like seven shrubs to every 

 tree, the shrubs standing eight or ten feet apart, and the trees forty to fifty feet. 

 This rule applies, of course, to only large growing shrubs ; the smaller ones can 

 be tucked in round about. It is an excellent plan to establish a lofty tree, like 

 the elm, tulip or poplar, at each marked angle of the place and at each side of 

 the carriage entrance. It tends to gives character to the entire lawn. If you 

 have room enough, one of the ways of emphasizing certain interesting parts of 

 your country place, and especially the pleasant home character of the house, is 

 to establish a grove near that building. Set out the best shade trees — elms, 

 maples, beeches, tulip trees, liquid ambers and lindens — and let them stand 

 forty or fifty feet apart, so that they may grow into broad and lofty trees, dispen- 

 sing abundant shade. Such a grove near the house will give perpetual delight 

 throughout the year. Even in winter, during snow and ice storms, you will find 

 unfailing pleasure in contemplating the unexpected and magical effects of snow 

 and ice in your grove, and, moreover, find comfort in seeking its protecting shelter 

 if you have planted a few pines in the midst. Planting groves means to many 

 people simply the setting out of a cluster of trees eight or ten feet apart, and 

 allowing them to slowly crowd each other to death. Properly managed, the 

 grove may be the most delightful and admirable feature of all country places, 

 except the smallest, and even there one great elm or beech may be a grove in 

 itself 



In adjusting the vistas by means of your planting you should see that the 

 longest lines of view are secured. Let them extend diagonally from corner to 

 corner of your place if you can — Scribner. 



Whitk and Blue Spruce. — Mr. C. G. Patten, a resident of Charles City, 

 Iowa, confirms the statements of Robert Douglass in regard to the superiority 

 of the White spruce over the Norway spruce for hardiness and beauty. He also 

 mentions some trees of Picea pungens, or at least a variety of it, growing about 

 two miles north of Floyd, in the same State. " Many of these trees have quite 

 a silvery appearance. The foliage is very dense, and never injured by our 

 extreme winters, being much mcjre hardy than the Norway."' This is the Colo- 

 rado Hlue spruce, which will, undoubtedly, be widely planted when it becomes 

 better known, and is more generally propagated. — VicKs Magazine. 



