96 



THE CANADIAN HORT I CU LTU R ISI 



April, 1915; ' 



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Back yards made beautiful. In this case seven board f<Micee in Toronto have been removed and replaced with wire lenoee. 



house, the best results are usually ob- 

 tained by sowing seed, except perhaps 

 in the case of the salvia, ageratum, and 

 lobelia, which give splendid results from 

 cuttings if cuttings can be obtained early 

 in the spring. 



It is customary to allow these peren- 

 nial flowers named to be entered as "an- 

 imals" at exhibitions. A rule, however, 

 should be inserted in the prize list stat- 

 ing that "Any plant that can be grown 

 from seed and flower the same year shall 

 be considered to be an annual. This 

 is advisable, as it prevents any dispute 

 as to the proper classification of these 

 plants that are botanically classified as 

 perennials. At the same time, they may 

 be entered also in the competitions for 

 hardy perennials unless some rule is in- 

 serted to the contrary, as some of them 

 are hardy under special conditions and 

 surroundings. 



A Popular Arrangement 



J. McPherson Ross, Torcnto, Ont. 



The most favored arrangement for 

 small city lots, and where the owners do 

 not wish or have the time to work in 

 the garden amongst the vegetables, is 

 to divide the lot in two by an evergreen 

 hedge of spruce or cedar, or else privet 

 or barberry. Spiraea Van Houtii is fre- 

 quently used, leaving an entrance in the 

 middle of the plot. This gate or en- 

 trance gives a chance to put a wire arch 

 on which some crimson ramblers may 

 climb over. The front half of the lot 

 next to the house is sodded down, a 

 shade tree is planted in the centre or side 

 and in a few years gives sufficient shade 

 for one to rest themselves on the grass. 



Around this small lawn is planted a bor- 

 der of shrubs with alternate clumps of 

 paeonies, phlox, bleeding heart, iris, and 

 so forth. The remaining part of the lot 

 is used for vegetables, divided by a path 

 in the centre with a few trees planted 

 on each side of the path. A row of 

 strawberry plants serve for an edging. 

 It is a very small plot that will not have 

 room for three or four stout rhubarb 

 roots of pie plants ; a few clumps of mint 

 and other herbs. The fence affords a 

 capital place for training some grape 

 vines and tying up the tomato plants, 

 or ornamental squash or gourds. Of 

 course more space offers more opportuni- 

 ties and involves more labor. 



City dwellers prefer flowers and grass 

 and trees to vegetables, for as the ma- 

 jority truly -say, we can buy vegetables 

 cheaper than we can grow them, and 

 then their cultivation soon wanes, the 

 garden fever cools off when weeds appear 

 and labor is required to keep the plants 

 growing, the garden work loses its at- 

 tractiveness to many. Except the indus- 



trious, wise p>eople who with little ex- 

 perience find the growing garden with 

 its supplies of fresh vegetables, a great 

 solution of the question of dear living. 



The Planting of Shrubs 



A. E. Tbatcker 



Many people are under the impression 

 that newly planted shrubs should be 

 copiously watered at the roots. This is 

 unnecessary and oftentimes detrimental. 

 If a good wateritig is given immediately 

 after they are planted, which will settle 

 the soil about the roots, and a mulching 

 is applied, very little water will be need- 

 ed for some time by the roots, but it is 

 an excellent practice to spray them over- 

 head frequently. This keeps the wood 

 moist and greatly assists the buds to 

 develop. 



In planning the garden for next year 

 get it as close to the house as possible. 

 Flan to sow a few common flowers in 

 a part of it for cut flowers during the 

 summer. 



A simple garden plan for an average city residence. (See aooompajiyinff article). 



