The Garden Magazine 



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Selective Draft to Replace Losses 



THE disastrous effects of the winter of 

 1917-18 have left their impress in practi- 

 cally every garden in the country. Win- 

 ter-killing is a strange creature. It does 

 not always strike in the way that we might 

 have expected. The "average" winter never 

 happens. Every season has some surprises in 

 store for us. Once in a while, at periods of a 

 score or so of years, we pass through an excep- 

 tionally severe strain and when the spring 

 comes we begin to count up our surprises and 

 continue to add to the roll of losses as the 

 season unfolds. 



There is a universal tendency to plant 

 largely of that material which grows most 

 easily. It is just this material that is likely 

 to succumb to a strain. A glaring example 

 patent to everyone at this time lies in the 

 California Privet. But we have other sur- 

 prises. Many evergreens that seemed to 

 have gone through the winter and have suf- 

 fered severely, if not discarded in the first 

 days of spring, have to a large degree recov- 

 ered and although set back considerably, 

 they will, if the conditions are favorable next 

 winter, have a chance to rehabilitate them- 

 selves. 



A winter such as we have passed through is a 

 triumphant vindication of the plants that are 

 recognized as really hardy. Hardiness is of 

 course a relative term, and to a large extent 

 hedge plants suffer because they are constantly 

 pruned until late in the year; which pruning 

 stimulates a late growth which goes into the 

 winter in a soft if not succulent condition. 

 This succumbs easily. The old-time gardener 

 was well within the mark when he preached 

 the doctrine of "thorough ripening" of the 

 wood before going into the winter. Little 

 by little we take chances until the border line 

 of safety is overstepped and then in an excep- 

 tionally severe season, the bottom drops out, 

 and plants that we have known for years as 

 familiar friends are no more! 



While it is natural that the gardener will 

 essay from time to time the cultivation of 

 unusual plants — a thing that is not to be de- 

 rided indeed — it is also true that the frame- 

 work or background of our plantings should 

 consist of those subjects that are really re- 

 sistent. 



The nurseryman's stock has been hurt 

 equally with that of the private gardener and 



owner. His stock of the more tender and 

 less resistant subjects is depleted. He cannot 

 supply the stock to refill the gaps. Something 

 else must be substituted and there is a certain 

 amount of satisfaction in this, as it will teach 

 the planter to use more material that has with- 

 stood the trying test and has come through 

 the ordeal. Now in the midst of summer the 

 gaps are fully realized and the losses can be 

 counted; and just as on the line of battle the 

 military commander takes toll of the losses 

 through the roll call after action, so in the 

 same degree do we in our own surroundings 

 take toll of the losses, and equally with the 

 military commander we must prepare to fill 

 the gaps in our ranks. We must draw on 

 the reserves; and these reserves are the tested 

 and tried material that have come through the 

 blast. 



Everything that was dead in spring, or has 

 failed to recover during the early summer 

 season, will have been cut out and the gaping 

 gaps are standing waiting to be filled. It is 

 time now to canvass the losses and while the 

 losses are being counted, while the vacant 

 spots are glaringly evident, to make arrange- 

 ments to repair the damage in the late summer 

 and early fall by a selective draft on the 



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reserves of the nurseryman. This done, the 

 former cared-for condition can be restored, 

 the garden can be reorganized and the work 

 of repair will have been got out of the way 

 before the stress and reality of "war garden" 

 activities open up next spring. This year as 

 never before, fall planting as it is called (it 

 really should be late summer planting) has a 

 definite reason for attention by the gardener. 

 Plan and order now, plant in fall, and be clear 

 for food garden work in its proper season. 



Stock Taking Time in the Garden 



ONE of the business customs of Amer- 

 ica makes July the almost uni- 

 versally accepted month for "tak- 

 ing stock." The seedsman weighs 

 his seeds, the nurseryman counts his trees, 

 the merchant measures his wares, and the 

 dealers arrange their shelves for fall business. 



Why wouldn't this be an ideal proceeding 

 to follow in the garden? Now, while every 

 plant, tree, or shrub has reached the pinnacle 

 of perfection for the season, is a good time to 

 make notes concerning the short-comings or 

 limitations or future estimated possibilities 

 of every form of plant life in either the pleas- 

 ure or utility garden. 



Few gardens, even after having been thor- 

 oughly cared for during a number of years, 

 present the picture the owner desires. Every 

 year reveals either progress or lack of it, the 

 latter being particularly pronounced during 

 July. This is the month that encourages 

 vision, planning. This is the month when you 

 will become thoroughly impatient with the 

 bare spots created by last season's exception- 

 ally severe winter killing. Now, please, do 

 not "plant in haste to repent (replant) at 

 leisure." Study the material available to fill 

 the gaps, and take steps right now to insure 

 yourself against a recurrence of last winter's 

 losses. 



Last winter was the greatest vindication of 

 hardy plants and shrubs, particularly Peonies. 

 Their profusion of bloom last month was un- 

 questionably due to the thorough rest of the 

 roots last winter, and perfect maturity of 

 plants last fall. And don't forget that, for 

 best results, Peonies, Iris and all other hardy 

 plants should be set out during the next few 

 months or as soon as they are obtainable from 

 the nursery. 



America needs more evergreen and fewer 



253 



