784 



OPEN FLOWER-GARDEN. 



disorder and unhealthy keeping, and ultimately 

 total decay. 



Pruning is an important element in the pro- 

 per management of the shrubbery, and requires 

 quite as much skill and regularity of attention 

 as the pruning of any other trees or plants 

 whatever. The objects of pruning shrubs gen- 

 erally are to modify the form or lessen the bulk 

 of over-luxuriant specimens, the removal of 

 dead, sickly, and misplaced branches, the short- 

 ening back even to the extent of cutting over to 

 within a few inches of the roots such as are 

 declining in health and vigour. In the case of 

 many flowering shrubs, other considerations are 

 to be kept in view, and these are founded on 

 their natural habits and mode of flowering. The 

 rose has been already treated on, and what is 

 said of it is applicable to most shrubs which 

 flower in the same way; while the trumpet- 

 flower and honeysuckle are spurred in to one or 

 two eyes of the previous year's wood. Rhodo- 

 dendrons require often to have their branches 

 thinned out when too crowded, but their ter- 

 minal shoots should never be shortened, as it is 

 at the points their flowers are produced. Weigela 

 rosea flowers upon the wood of the previous 

 year, therefore removing much of that lessens 

 the abundance of bloom the following season. 

 The season of pruning the majority of shrubs is 

 during autumn or winter, and that of coniferous 

 shrubs and trees late in spring, after the sap has 

 risen. 



Digging shr'Meries.—^iS. interference with the 

 roots of trees and shrubs should be carefully 

 avoided; diggiog, therefore, amongst them, al- 

 though a rule of long standing, is one more 

 honoured in the breach than'.in the observance. 

 It were better practice, indeed, to top-dress the 

 soil over the roots with some rich compost ; or, 

 if a vigorous growth is desired, to give them two 

 or three good soakings of liquid manure during 

 their period of growth. All decaying leaves and 

 other vegetable matter which accumulate under 

 them should be annually raked up, and carried 

 to a convenient spot to become decomposed ; 

 and, if afterwards mixed with lime, may be used 

 as a top-dressing with advantage. Shrubberies 

 neglected in this respect become exceedingly 

 unsightly, and even injurious to the health of 

 those who live much amongst them. The vege- 

 table and animal matter undergoing slow de- 

 composition is productive of malaria to a very 

 great extent, and the gases generated are pre- 

 vented from being diffused in consequence of 

 the want of a sufficient circulation of air. Neg- 

 lected shrubberies near a house, covering, as they 

 in general do, a mass of -decomposing matter, 

 the accumulation of years, are as complete a 

 hotbed of malaria as a common sewer or putrid 

 cesspool. 



Selection of material. — Of shrubs and trees, 

 evergreen or deciduous, the proportion which 

 the former bears to the latter in cultivation is 

 something like one to twelve, exclusive of 

 climbers and creepers ; but if we include roses, 

 the proportion will be about one to fifteen. 

 These latter should, however, be sparingly in- 

 troduced even into mixed shrubberies, as they 

 do not associate well with other shrubs ; and 



also, on account of a dissimilarity in their cul- 

 ture, they are found to do best when planted by 

 themselves. To some extent this applies to 

 many American plants also, unless where the 

 grouping system is followed, as there they can 

 form groups or masses by themselves. The 

 season of flowering of trees and shrubs, although 

 of less importance than their forms, is, how- 

 ever, not to be altogether neglected, as are 

 also the colours of their flowers and foliage. 

 The season of flowering extends from the begins 

 ning of March to the end of August, and the 

 prevailing colours are white, or various tints of 

 deep red to light pink, yellow and blue being 

 the least abundant. The great distinction, how- 

 ever, to be chiefly regarded, is between those 

 that are deciduous and those that are evergreen. 

 The former produce the greatest amount of 

 bloom during summer, but are deficient of the 

 same amount of interest during winter. Nor 

 are they so well adapted for screening out 

 objects wished to be hid, or for affording shelter 

 during winter, or shade during summer. In 

 planting a shrubbery, therefore, whether in the 

 mixed or grouping manner, the proportion of 

 evergreens should be somewhere about eight 

 to one of deciduous plants. An eye should be 

 kept on those that herald in the spring by their 

 early flowering or foliation, and also on those 

 which possess an unusual share of character, 

 the latter being placed, as it were, in bold relief. 

 Of the former we may mention Daphne meie- 

 reum, Bibis mngmnea, Jasminum nudicaule, 

 BJiododendron atrovirens and dauricum, and a 

 host of early spring-flowering hybrids ; and of 

 the latter, Araucaria imhricata, Cryptomeria 

 japonica, various of the more rare species of 

 ConiferaJ, with trees having singularly-coloured 

 foliage, as well as those of pendent or weeping 

 habits. The latter of these, however, should be 

 planted in the foreground, or more properly as 

 single specimens on the lawn; for, if planted 

 among other shrubs, their stems will become 

 hid, and hence the effect such trees or shrubs 

 are intended to produce is entirely lost. Where 

 shrubberies are to be planted upon an extensive 

 scale, it wiU be wise to purchase the plants 

 while young in the public nurseries, and trans- 

 plant them into a home nursery, from which 

 they can be removed as the operation of plant- 

 ing goes on. 



Propagation of hardy ornamental trees and 

 shrubs. — Both evergreen and deciduous shrubs 

 are increased by seed, cuttings, eyes, layers, 

 budding, and grafting. 



Amorpha. — Deciduous shrubs, requiring com- 

 mon soil, and propagated by layers or cuttings 

 of the ripened wood in autumn. 



Ampelopsis. — Deciduous climbers, thriving in 

 almost any soil and situation, propagated by 

 layers or cuttings of the ripened wood in 

 autumn. 



Amygdalus, — Deciduous trees and low shrubs. 

 The former propagated by seed, and the varie- 

 ties by budding on stocks of the common plum; 

 the dwarf varieties by cuttings and layers — 

 thriving in any ordinary soil. 



Aralia. — Spinosa and japonica, the only 

 hardy species of shrub in. this family are de- 



