Preens Choice Hardy Shrubs 



NOTE. — Shrubs will be shipped on receipt of orders, or as soon as they can be dug, unless instructed to the contrary, and can 

 only be sent by Freight or Express, at purchaser's expense. They are too heavy and large to be sent by mail. No charge for 

 boxes, packing or delivery to express, freight or steamship lines in Philadelphia. 



THE PLANTING AND CARE OE SHRUBS. 



SHRUBS, deciduous and evergreen, are as much a part of 

 the well-balanced garden as the lawn or flower borders. 

 Many of them are as decorative as any ornamental foliage 

 plant, while others are highly useful as cut flowers, and a well- 

 arranged planting presents an attractive appearance throughout 

 the entire year. 



Shrubs have many uses; such as a dividing line between the 

 flower and vegetable garden, or between the lawn and unculti- 

 vated land beyond; as a background to a flower border; for hiding 

 an unsightly building, fence or foundation; or they may be 

 planted in a mixed shrubbery border, in which case those 

 of short, dense growth should be planted along the front 

 of the border, graduating to the tall-growing kinds at the 

 back. 



Thorough preparation of the soil by spading, and the addition 

 of a liberal quantity of sheep or stable manure or bone meal will 

 be well repaid by strong, vigorous, healthy growth. All the at- 

 tention necessary to such a border would be occasional cultiva- 

 tion to keep down weeds, and a little top-dressing of manure or 

 bone meal in the late fall to keep up the fertility of the border. 

 In planting, care should be taken not to overcrowd, allowing 

 sufficient room for future development, and unless an immediate 

 effect is wanted — in which case they may be planted closer and 

 some of them moved when necessary — the majority of the dwarf- 

 growing kinds may be set about 3 feet apart, the tall, strong 

 growers about 5 feet apart. 



Deciduous Shrubs should be planted in spring as soon as frost 

 is out and the ground in workable condition. This gives them a 

 chance to make some root-growth before hot weather conies; 



and, while it is quite possible to plant up until the beginning of 

 May, they will not do as well as if planted earlier. 



Deciduous Shrubs of all kinds may be planted directly after the 

 first frost in the fall, usually about October l'th in the latitude of 

 Philadelphia, and as there are six weeks of good weather after 

 that date, and less to do at that time than in the spring, it is 

 well to take advantage of the conditions in the autumn. 



The question of when and bow to prune Shrubs is one 

 that is frequently asked, and as no hard and fast rule can 

 be given, we can but indicate in a general way what should be 

 done. All Shrubs that blossom before midsummer, such as 

 Deutzias, Forsythias, Lilacs, Philadelphus, NVeiglias, etc., pro- 

 duce their flowers on the growth of wood made the previous 

 year. To prune these in spring would be to destroy most of 

 the flowers for that season. These, therefore, should have any 

 necessary pruning done immediately after flowering. Varieties 

 which blossom after midsummer produce their blooms on wood 

 made the same season. This class includes such kinds as Al- 

 theas, Desmodiums, Hydrangeas, etc., and these should be 

 pruned in early spring. In our judgment, Shrubs are, as a rule, 

 pruned too much, all the pruning, or rather trimming, that is 

 necessary being just enough to keep the plant in nice symmetrical 

 shape, care, of course, being taken to cut out all dead wood, 

 and removing sufficient surplus growth, if any, to admit a free 

 circulation of air and sunshine to all parts of the plant. This 

 season we offer Shrubs under three heads: first, Hardy De- 

 ciduous sorts, beginning on this page to page 252; Evergreen 

 varieties on pages 253 and 254, and Hardy Coniferous Ever- 

 greens on page 255. 



HARDY DECIDUOUS SHRUBS. 



In this class is included the most popular and better-known of our hardy flowering and ornamental Shrubs. Their popu- 

 larity is based on the wealth of flowers which they produce and their adaptability to the most ordinary conditions. No class 

 of plants present to our landscape a greater array of blossoms or a more symmetrical arrangement of their flowers, and once 

 established, with the exception of a periodical trimming, may be left to take care of themselves, increasing in size and beauty 

 from year to year. 



Abelia Chinensis Grandiflora, A choice, small Shrub of graceful 

 habit, producing through the entire summer and fall months white 

 tinted lilac heather-like flowers in such abundance as to completely 

 cover the plant. 30 cts. each; J?3.00 per doz. 



Althea {Hose of Sharon). The Altheas are among the most valu- 

 able of our tall hardy Shrubs on account of their late season of 

 blooming, which is from August to October, a period when but 

 few Shrubs are in flower. They are also extensively used as hedge 

 plants, for which they are admirably adapted. We oiler the follow- 

 ing choice sorts: 



Alba plena. Double white, crimson centre. 



Atropurpurea plena. Double purple. 



Ccerulea plena. Double blue. 



Duchess de Brabant. Double dark red. 



Folia Variegata. Leaver variegated green and white. 



Jeanne d'Arc. Double pure white. 



Rubis. Splendid single red. 



Totus AlbtlS. Fine single pure white; very desirable. 



Violacea plena. Double rosy-lilac. 



25 cts. each. Set of varieties, $2,00. 

 Amorpha Frutlcosa f False Indigo). A strong-growing Sluuh, 



from (1 to 7 feet high, with finger-like spikes of indigo colored How- 

 ers, three or more spikes in a cluster; blooms early in June. 25 cts. 

 each. 



ALTHEA At-BA PlBNA. 



(244) 



We will supply all Shrubs priced at 25 cts. each for $2.50 per doz.; $15.00 per 100. 



