ORNAMENTAL AND FLOWERING TREES &c. 105 



Even in shrubberies, plants would look much better in groups or 

 masses not too close together ; and as much thought and attention 

 should be given to the soil and position in which they are placed as 

 one would bestow on choice fruit trees, Eoses, or rock-plants. 



Planting. — Trees and shrubs are usually best planted in the autumn 

 when the sap is in a more or less quiescent state. Many, however, 

 which do not begin to grow until the usual time in spring may be 

 planted up to the end of February. Mild open weather should always 

 be chosen for performing the work, and the soil should be in a dryish 

 and easily workable condition. If the ground is covered with frost or 

 snow, the work is best suspended until a more favourable oppor- 

 tunity presents itself. The actual planting itself should be done as 

 carefully as if a fruit tree were being placed in the soil. The opera- 

 tion is explained at p. 1032, to which the reader is invited to turn. 



Pruning and Training Ornamental Trees. — If there were no more 

 trouble taken over the pruning and training of fruit trees than is usually 

 taken over that of flowering trees and shrubs, the fruit garden would 

 not only very soon present a neglected appearance but also show 

 a big falling off in the returns of the fruit crops. All our Apples, Pears, 

 Plums, Cherries &c. are more or less regularly attended to in the matter 

 of training, piruning, thinning out &c. ; but their cousins, which are 

 valued chiefly for their beautiful flowers and ornamental appearance, 

 are often left to look after themselves, sometimes maybe for years, 

 until they almost cry out for some little attention to be given them. 



Matters, however, in this respect are gradually becoming better, and 

 trees and shrubs, other than those grown for their fruits, are receiving 

 a proper share of attention in the way of training and pruning. The 

 chief principles of pruning are the same as detailed for fruit trees at 

 p. 1031. There is, however, far more variety in trees and shrubs, and 

 the gardener should exercise his intelligence when deaUng with any 

 particular species. Its nature may be readily gleaned from its relation 

 to others with which he may be well acquainted. Being arranged in 

 botanical families in this book, that will still further aid him in his 

 practical work. For instance, all the Hawthorns (Crataegus, p. 408), 

 Almonds (Prunus, p. 356) &c. in the main follow the same principles 

 of growth as other trees in the Eose Order (p. 355), such as 

 Apples, Pears, Plums, Cherries &c., and require almost the same kind of 

 pruning — due attention being given to the special peculiarities of any 

 particular species. 



As a general rule the main point is to keep up a good supply of the 

 younger wood, and gradually cut away the old and useless branches. 

 On the branches that are left there are usually two kinds of buds, some 



