July 7, 1870. ] 



JOUBNAL OF HOBTIOULTUEE AND COTTAGE GARDENEB. 



explain that the two long borders, bounded by turf, with a 

 broad gravel walk between them, are intersected in the middle 

 by another walk. The loss, however, occasioned by this cross 

 walk is not included in the measurement given above, which 

 is simply the nnited length ; but it will be seen that this 

 break affords an opportunity of introducing another variety of 

 plant, when, perhaps, there is not sufficient of one kind to 

 make up the whole, for instance, two or more varieties of 

 Scarlet Pelargonium or Yellow Calceolaria may be used without 

 offence, and it is often advantageous to compare the respective 

 merits of each kind, and when they are planted under circum- 

 stances of perfect equality, and in sufficient numbers, their 

 general qualifications are better ascertained than from only a 

 trial plant or two. In the case of these long borders the num- 

 bers are gtnerally such as to show differences in mass which 

 cannot well be distinguished in single specimens. The eye on 

 scanning a line of 100 yards or more of the blooms of one 

 plant is better able to discover wherein the tint of the bloom 

 differs from that of an adjoining one, than when the comparison 

 is made between single specimens. As a test ground, the large 

 scale has unquestionably many advantages. The merits of a 

 Pelargonium are generally pretty well known before it is pro- 

 pagated to the extent of several hundreds; still, every season 

 brings out fresh features, or it may be different features, in 

 each variety, so that the estimate formed of it at one time is 

 not unlikely to be reversed at another ; the experience of a 

 series of years also enables one to weed out the indifferent 

 kinds. I know there is an unwillingness to part with an old 

 friend which has done good service, and yet I did so with Tom 

 Thumb some years ago. 



Omitting all notice for the present of the manner in which 

 one large bed is planted, I will confine myself to the long 

 ribbon borders, as tbey have their representatives in eo many 

 gardens. I again repeat here what I have often before stated, 

 that I am no advocate for a great diversity of plants being used, 

 or rather I should say, I do not approve of many distinctions 

 in colour. Half a dozen kinds of Scarlet Pelargoniums may be 

 all planted together without an ordinary observer noticing 

 their differences, but pink and salmon-coloured varieties would 

 alter the affair. Further, in ribbon-border planting, I prefer 

 a broad band of one colour or kind of plant to very narrow 

 lines, unless the view is confined to the end only, which happens 

 but rarely ; therefore, in most cases where flowering plants 

 form one of the lines, I prefer to have the line broad, as few 

 flowering plants form an unbroken line when planted in a single 

 row and inspected at right angles to that row. Endwise most 

 plants will do. Lobelias, Nierembergias, and Calceolarias, are 

 about the best, but Pelargoniums seldom fill in well enough to 

 please me ; besides, a good breadth of colour showB more rich- 

 ness than when the space is cut up into two or three divisions. 

 On thiB account I have in the present season returned with some 

 deviations to a plan of four or five years ago, in the planting of 

 these borders, and its simplicity is one of its best recommend- 

 ations. Although the appearance is anything but inviting at 

 the time I write (the beginning of June), the description will 

 enable anyone to conceive what it ought to be when further 

 advanced. These borders are straight, and with the broad 

 walk between them, point towards the mansion, or rather 

 from thence to another important object. Ab they stand clear 

 of all shrubs or other objects, and can be inspected from the 

 back as well as from the walk side, it has always been my 

 custom to make both sides of each border alike, also each 

 border like its fellow. This reduces the variety of plants used 

 to a small number, and I do not think it is necessary to in- 

 crease it ; on the contrary, it would assuredly impair the effect. 

 When planted in plain stripes we have rarely used more than 

 four kinds of plants, and I believe on oue occasion only three, 

 including the edging plant. This season we have four, and 

 they are of the simplest and most common kinds, yet I believe 

 the effect will be satisfactory. The borders being 10 feet wide, 

 we have always had ten or more rows of plants in them, and 

 this Beason that number is adopted. Although one of the kinds 

 of plants used does not confine itself to a limited space, the 

 others are more compact. The borders have been planted 

 thus: — An edging of Cerastium, followed by a band about 

 2.J feet wide of Verbena pnlchella, then a single row of yellow 

 Calceolarias ; two rows of Scarlet Pelargoniums form the centre 

 of each border ; then a single row of Calceolaria, a band of 

 Verbena pulchella, and the Cerastium as before, the whole 

 occupying the 10-feet space. If the weather be not too dry 

 for the Calceolaria, I expect the whole will look well when in 

 perfection. 



Now, with regard to early versus late planting, I expeot Mr. 

 Fish and most others will be " down upon " me for com- 

 mencing so soon, yet I must not falter in telling my tale. Well, 

 then, what do the readers of The Journal of Horticulture 

 think of my commencing planting ont on April 14th ? and the 

 Calceolarias planted that day, and on the 16th, are certainly the 

 beBt we have at the present time, although they received no 

 help or protection of any kind, being merely watered the day 

 they were planted, and never afterwards. The weather, how- 

 ever, being exceedingly dry at the time, planting was discon- 

 tinued after the 18th, for a week or more, but on the 29th and 

 30th oi April, the Verbena was planted, the planting of the 

 Calceolanaa having been finished in the interval. On April 

 30ih abont four hundred Pelargoniums were planted out, and 

 no prottc.ion of any kind given. The frosts that followed on 

 May 3rd and 4th, of course Btopped the planting of tender 

 plant.-, nnd the Pelargoniums suffered, but none were killed, 

 and nov. Uiey are not the least promisiug of the Pelargoniums 

 we have bedded out. 



The above is, no doubt, an extreme case, and I do not state 

 it with the view of encouraging early planting, but under cir- 

 cumstances similar to those under which we were placed, early 

 planting may be adopted in preference to the plants' suffering 

 from confinement in their winter quarters. It must not be 

 supposed that we are exempt from the evils of frosty nights 

 and cold easterly winds, for on the night of May 2 — 3 I put 

 a basin with water in it upon a grass plot near my cottage 

 overnight, and the next morning it was so frozen that the 

 basin could be turned upside down without the water running 

 out, and on the next night the frost was about the same. It 

 was, however, the extreme dryness which enabled plants to 

 withstand the cold, and these Pelargoniums did so. I hope at 

 some future time to report their condition as compared with 

 the same kind planted later, for although these were planted 

 in April, we did not finish planting out Pelargoniums till 

 June 4th. The other conditions, however, relative to planting 

 are of so conflicting a nature, especially with regard to Pelar- 

 gouiums, that they cannot well be all explained in one paper ; 

 but in a subsequent one I hope to enter more fully into the 

 causes which sometimes render early planting preferable to 

 waiting so late as usual. — J. Bobson. 



(To be continued.) 



PRUNING ORNAMENTAL TREES AND SHRUBS. 



No. 8. 

 Section II. — In this section we have trees of a different type 

 from those in Section I., for, unlike the latter, the leaders may 

 be more than one, and yet the form essential to a good speci- 

 men will be preserved, whether the form of the tree is conical 

 as with the Chinese Juniper, or spreading as with the Hemlock 

 Spruce and common Yew. They also differ from Section I. in 

 this respect — good specimens may be obtained from cuttings 

 or layers, and grafts ; but there is no question that the healthi- 

 est, freest in growth, and best-formed are treeB raised from 

 seed. Such in all oases are to be preferred to those from cut- 

 tings and grafts. Indeed, some of them so propagated are not 

 suitable for single specimens, as the Cupressus Lambertiana 

 (macroearpa), C. Lawsoniana — I know cuttings root freely 

 enough, but we expect something more than a bush from this 

 graceful tree — all the genus Taxus when practicable, Thuja 

 gigantea, T. Lobbi, T. occidentalis, and T. orientalis. 



The trees or shrubs constituting this section are in habit 

 erect or conical, spreading or diffuse, a few being pendulous, 

 and one or two are procumbent. Of those which are erect, 

 conical, or pyramidal in habit I may name Cbamrecyparis 

 spbasrcidea, C. thurifera; Cupressus Lambertiana, C. Lawsoni- 

 ana ; Juniperus chinensis, J. communis, J. hibernica, J. vir- 

 giniana (Bed Cedar) ; Betinospora pisifera, B. plumosa, B. ob- 

 tusa ; Taxodium distichum, and its variety fastigiatum, the type 

 of an upright-growing tree ; Taxus adpressa. T. adpressa stricta, 

 T. baccata pyramidalis, T. elegantissima, T. erecta, T. fastigi- 

 ata ; Thujopsis borealis ; Thuja gigantea, T. Lobbi, T. occi- 

 dentalis, T. plicata and var. Warreana, T. orientalis and vars. 

 elegantissima and stricta. 



The spreading are Abies canadensis, A. Albertiana, Taxus 

 baccate and its variety fructu-luteo, T. Washingtoni, and Thu- 

 jopsis dolabrata. 



The pendulous are represented by Cupressus funebris (not 

 hardy, or only so in warm sheltered situations), Taxus Dovas- 

 toni, and Thnjopsis Standishii. 



The trailing are represented by Juniperus prostrata. 



