SUBURBAN GARDENINa. 



283- 



the want of such large evergreen trees is the cause 

 of more stunted growth in many dwarfer genera 

 of ornamental shrubs and trees than would otherwise 

 he the ease. 



Acclimatised Plants. — ^We consider it an 

 excellent plan, in selecting the necessary trees and 

 shruhs wherewith to plant suburban gardens, to 

 procure them at the nearest nursery grounds where 

 good choice is to be had. This will be the more 

 likely to insure future success than by having 

 recourse to sending to a long distance for them. If 

 they have been grown from their earliest stages 

 within a fair distance of the garden in which they 

 are to be planted, and that too in a similar kind of 

 soil, the future well-being of each and all wiU be 

 the more easily attained. This is all the more 

 important in small gardens where no experienced 

 gardener is employed constantly to see to the 

 necessary requirements of the occupants. Where 

 such is the case, the soU, &c., can be modified to 

 a certain extent by those in charge ; this, however, 

 would hardly come under the head of suburban 

 gardening; and all trees and shrubs will be found 

 to succeed far better if these hints are carried out in 

 practice ; indeed, it must necessarily be the case, 

 provided the purchases are in good health when 

 obtained, they being in a measure comparatively 

 acclimatised to the locality. 



Recently we watched with considerable interest 

 some well-grown coniferous plants that had been 

 just planted in the front of a detached villa garden. 

 They were well-grown stock, in every way healthy, 

 but we could readily discern by their appearance 

 that they had been brought from a considerable 

 distance, and off another description of soil to that 

 in which they were then growing. Gradually they 

 began to assume a sickly hue, and by degrees the 

 lower branches died off; later on, some of them 

 from their ungainly appearance were removed. Not 

 one is now in a satisfactory condition of health, 

 though apparently they were fairly well planted, 

 and attention given to having the soil around each 

 mulched after planting. This, and similar instances, 

 are enough to discourage any one not practically 

 acquainted with the cause of failure, making him 

 feel as if it were quite impossible to succeed 

 in his desires. But the stock from a suburban 

 nursery, or within a near radius of the neighbour- 

 hood of large towns and cities, though not in many 

 cases looking so robust and thriving, will eventually 

 give the greater amount of satisfaction to the 

 purchaser. Suburban nurserymen are practically 

 acquainted with the stock likely to succeed in their 

 respective localities, and a glance through their 

 CTOunds will oftentimes be a useful aid in making 



any future selections. Those things that are most in 

 request will be found in far larger numbers amongst 

 every genus of plants, and this may fairly be taken 

 as a guide in making choice for the garden. 



Whilst on the subject of purchasing trees and 

 shrubs, as well as in the case of plants in pots, it' 

 wiU not in every case be the cheaper way to procure 

 those that are offered at unusually low prices. We 

 advise purchases certainly to be made as cheaply aS' 

 possible consistent with a good article ; but to buy 

 any plant just because it is cheap is a great mistake, 

 without having closely inspected the plant before- 

 hand. Shrubs, &c., are at times offered at tempting 

 prices ; these may possibly have been grown in 

 nursery beds or quarters for some seasons without 

 removal. In this case their roots and branches will 

 have become much interlaced among each other. 

 When removal is effected the roots consequently 

 become injured, and the branches from want of 

 support are unable to retain their proper position. 

 Such stock as this is also much drawn up, and quite- 

 devoid of the sturdy compact growth which is the 

 characteristic of well-grown nursery plants. In 

 such instances, by reason of less expenditure in 

 cultivation, the plants can of course be offered more- 

 cheaply ; but in the long run they -vrill not be nearly 

 so likely to give even a fair amount of satisfaction as 

 in the case of such nursery stock as may have been 

 subjected to a proper course of culture in its various- 

 stages of growth. 



Times for Planting and Removal. — The 



autumnal months of September, October, and the 

 early part of November are generally accepted as 

 the most suitable time of the year for the removal 

 and transplanting of trees and shrubs. The first 

 half of that period is preferable to the latter, as it 

 affords the newly-planted stock better opportunity 

 of becoming settled down in their new quarters 

 before the advent of a probable severe winter. We 

 therefore strongly urge any contemplated alteration 

 or improvement to be taken in hand without any 

 delay when that season of the year arrives. Better 

 choice, too, of the requisite kinds of trees and shrubs- 

 will be afforded ; the best of each class invariably 

 finding the most ready market. There is another 

 disadvantage in deferring the planting operations 

 till late in the season, which is occasioned by the 

 removal from their growing quarters en masse in 

 prospect of future demands, and also to clear the 

 ground for early preparation for re-planting; in 

 such cases the stock for sale is generally heeled in 

 close together, and if allowed to remain in that 

 manner for long, the roots must necessarily suffer in 

 consequence, the more so if the autumnal rainfall is- 

 less than usual. Failure is oftentimes occasioned in. 



