NoVKMBKK 19, 1914. 



The Florists^ Review 



13 



FoUage and Fruits G>mbine to Make Berberis Thunbergi}, la its Native Form, One of the Best of Hedges. 



locust, is good as a defensive hedge. 

 Rhamnus cathartica, buckthorn, is good 

 where a tall, strong hedge is desired. 

 Philadelphus Lemoinei, the new French 

 hybrid, is more moderate growing than 

 the old P. coronarius and makes a 

 splendid natural hedge, flowering pro- 

 fusely while small. 



These do not at all exhaust the best 

 of desirable hedge plants of a deciduous 

 character. Various spiraeas, viburnums, 

 carpinus, stephanandras and others are 

 available, but I have already named 

 more varieties than the average florist 

 will care to know anything about. 



Fewer Evergreens. 



Coming to evergreens, we find the 

 list a much more restricted one. Prob- 

 ably the variety most in use is Thuya 

 occidentalis, American arborsMtee. This 

 makes a neat hedge, is hardy, with- 

 stands dry conditions well and is a 

 quick grower. Objections to its use 

 are that it turns a brownish color in 

 winter, and no matter how well headed 

 in it may be, it is thrown out of shape 

 to some degree by heavy snows. It is 

 the most inexpensive of eversrreen 

 hedges. A hedge can be profitably 

 planted with 24-inch to 30-inch plants, 

 ei^teen inches apart, at $1 per yard. 



Pioea excelsa, Norway spruce, makes 

 a splendid thick hedge, one which can 

 be closely cropped annually, T have 

 seen hedges of this spruce in New Eng- 

 land ten feet high and as much across. 

 Which are perfect pictures, grand wind- 

 breaks and aflFord shelter and nesting 

 places far hundreds of birds. Set the 

 Norway spruces twentv-four to thirtv- 

 MX inches apart, according to size. 



Tsuga Qanadensis, or hemlock, when 

 placed in a suitable position, one not 

 too dry or windswept, makes easily the 

 finest of all evergreen hedges, coming 

 the nearest to the English yew of any 

 of our North American evergreens. It 

 suffers from dryness at the root more 

 than other evergreens, but when it is 

 given sufficient moisture, we have no 

 evergreen equal to it. It lasts longer 

 than Norway spruce or arborvitae, and 

 hedges set out with 36-inch plants three 

 feet apart should be worth $2 per yard. 



A few other available hedge plants 

 are: Buxus sempervirens, boxwood; 

 useful as a bordering for flower beds, 

 etc. Juniperus Virginica, common red 

 cedar; I have seen excellent hedges made 

 of this plant. Retinospora plumosa, 

 Japanese cypress; this and its golden 

 sport, aurea, make neat hedges. Euony- 

 mus Japonicus and E. Sieboldianus; 

 these have handsome, dark green, shiny 

 leaves, are erect in habit and make 

 splendid hedges. Taxus cuspidata brevi- 

 folia, yew, and Taxus baccata, English 

 yew; the last named succeeds moder- 

 ately well near Philadelphia and at 

 points south, but is not hardy farther 

 north. 



Preparation of Ground. 



To make a success of hedges, the 

 ground should be prepared in advance 

 and turned over to a d»)th of two feet, 

 deeper if possible, and^tWft. or three 

 feet wide. Incorporate Isome thor- 

 oughly decayed manure with the soil. 

 Be sure not to use anv fresh manure. 

 If planting cannot be done until spring, 

 it is a great help to prepare the 



ground in the fall. Generally speak- 

 ing, evergreens succeed better if planted 

 in spring than in fall, but most decidu- 

 ous plants do as well or better if 

 planted in the fall, provided the work 

 is not done too late and care is taken 

 to firm the roots thoroughly. In the 

 case of evergreens, it is especially nec- 

 essary to keep the roots moist, not 

 only at planting time, but through the 

 season. Dryness at the root is account- 

 able for more dead evergreens than 

 winter's cold. Therefore, in the fall, 

 when there is any likelihood of ever- 

 greens having dry roots, soak them 

 thoroughly before the ground becomes 

 sealed by frost. 



Hedge planting is a branch more flo- 

 rists should add to their business. There 

 is room for many times the number now 

 planted. The opportunities are excel- 

 lent; the profits are good; the work 

 comes at a time when other lines are 

 dull. One or two plantings carefully 

 done will serve as a good advertise- 

 ment. "Why not make a start now! 



Anderson, Ind,— Stuart & Haugh gave 

 their twenty-fifth annual free flower 

 show November 12 to 14. It was a 

 huge success from the standpoints of 

 beauty and attendance. The houses 

 were thronged with visitors, who warm- 

 ly complimented the firm on the extent 

 and quality of the exhibit and were 

 unanimously of the opinion that it sur- 

 passed any of the former shows. Vis- 

 iting florists especially praise the carna- 

 tions and ferns. Stuart & Haugh re 

 port business good and that Anderson 

 is in a prosperous condition. 



