734 



HERBS 



HERBS 



endure changeableness of weather, and particularly adds 

 to its hardiness. There are many plants which are 

 hardy only if protected until the roots are thoroughly 

 established. This is more often noticed with trees and 



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1046. A mixed Herbaceous border. 



strou^^-rooted plants which ;ire able to peuetate deeply 

 into the subsoil, but the same applies to herbaceous 

 plants, except that it is usually necessary to loosen the 

 subsoil to ensure penetration by their tiner roots to a 

 satisfactory extent. It is not necessary to make the sub- 

 soil equal in richness to the upper portion, but it should 

 preferably be mixed with a portion of the surface soil. 



The tine roots are the feedini? roots and the surfaces 

 of the soil particles are their feeding ground, so that in 

 raakin,^ the soil particles smaller the feeding surface in 

 the soil is increased, thus allowins: for more roots and 

 making available a greater part of the plant-food in the 

 soil. A tine physical condition can usually be ol)taine<l 

 by turning tbe soil over a few times. No soil should be 

 turned or handled when too moist to crumble, as the clay 

 in the soil is quick to become puddled, and therefore 

 impervious to feeding roots. 



Underground drainage is necessary, since roots can- 

 not grow in soil filled with stagnant water. Where the 

 natural subsoil drainage is not sufficient, artificial means 

 should be used. Unless the drainage is good many 

 plants will be injured during the rainier seasons or 

 killed during winter. Plants that are not firmly estab- 

 lished are often easily killed by excess of moisture 

 about the roots during their dormant season; for in- 

 stance, many bog plants otherwise perfectly hardy will 

 winter-kill if planted late in the fall. A 

 further fact showing the effect of water 

 on dormant roots is that many plants, if 

 cut down low enough in the fall to allow 

 water, as from melting snow, to reach the 

 root through the hollow plant stems, will 

 often be entirely rotted by spring. Thus, 

 when it is necessary to destroy golden- 

 rod the dry stems can be mowed in late 

 fall with a sharp scythe. The vulnerability 

 of the root to water coming through tbe 

 plant-stem may be easily seen by compar- 

 ing in the spring roots of corn, the stalks 

 of which were cut at different heights the 

 previous full. 



The subjpctof feeding plants in general 

 is treated at some leng'^h under Fprfili- 

 sers and Ftn-tilKn, which see. In the hardy 

 border no large amount of coarse or highly 

 fermentable material should be used. The 

 enrichment of the soil should, if possible, 

 be made while preparing the border, and 

 any rertilizers used should be well mixed 

 with the soil. Even if a liberal amount of 

 stable manure is available, it is well to 

 use some potash or phosphoric acid in 

 connection with it. A llirbt top-dressin£r of manure given 

 in the fall will keep up the fertility of the ^oil and afford 

 a slight winter protection, which is appreciated by even 

 the hardiest plants. Over-richness as well as poverty 



of soil tend to make plants in general less hardy, but 

 usually a great abundance of plant-food should be 

 given, especially for the hardier species, with vigorous 

 constitutions and long season of growth. Many plants 

 having a season of rest in late summer do best in soil 

 not overly rich, especially if the position be moist. 



A loose and open surface soil prevents baking after 

 rains and waterings; saves some of the labor necessary 

 to keep tbe soil open and friable; allows the growth of 

 many smaller, finer-rooted orcreeping plants which can- 

 n jt grow well in a stiff' soil ; permits the sowing of many 

 mniials in the border. Many low-growing plants are in- 

 lured on clayey soil by having the under surfaces of the 

 lea\es coated with soil by spattering of rain. A clay 

 soil may be made more loose by the addition of ma- 

 nures, sawdust, coal ashes, sand or almost any suchma- 

 tnnal. A light, fine mulch should be kept on the surface 

 of a clay soil. 



The points to be borne in mind in planting should be 

 he\lthy plants, careful planting and sufficient thickness 

 of planting. Plants should be obtained which have not 

 been stunted, as a weakened plant will never make as 

 good a specimen as if rightly treated from the start. 

 When plants are received from the nursery they may 

 be heeled-in if necessary, but every day plants are left 

 where they have no root-bold on the soil is an injury to 

 them, in proportion to the suitableness of the weather 

 for root growth. If plantsraust remain any considerable 

 length of time before being placed in their permanent 

 position, it is best to plant them in reserve ground, and 

 to remove them when desired with balls of earth. 



Symmetry of top growth is to some extent, at least, de- 

 pendent on symmetry of root growth, so that by careful 

 planting the roots not only become more quickly and 

 strongly active, but give us hope for a more symmetri- 

 cal plant than can be obtained by careless planting. 

 The proper way to place a plant in tbe ground is equally 

 to distribute the roots about the plant, leaving the 

 tips pointed downward, and then to tinu the soil suffi- 

 ciently abont the roots. 



A perennial border shoiihl be planted rather thick, so 

 that when in foliage it shall appear as one mass. Any 

 showing of soil between plants is not only unnatural, 

 but destroys the beauty of the border as a whole. 



Vi''infcr Protection of Herbaceous Perennials. — The 

 protection of species not reliably hardy may be accom- 

 plished with any material suitable for keeping out 

 frost which is not naturally too moist or close. The 

 material should preferably be heaped over the crown of 

 the plant, to shed part of the rain as well as to prevent 

 quick changes of temperature, or to wholly exclude frost, 

 as the plant may need. 



Tbe material to be used will be decided by the plants 



1047. An Herb-covered rock work 



to be protected, by what is on band or easily obtainable, 

 and by the presence or not of mice or other vermin, 

 which often work under such material as straw and 

 destroy the plants. Protected plants should bo examined 



