1 92 



FLORA AND SYLVA. 



to the neglect of Roses, Carnations, 

 Scarlet Lobelia, and the many beautiful 

 hardy things which may be perfectly 

 grown in our climate even in bad years. 

 Where flower gardens are large enough 

 it is much better to trust more to shrubs 

 in the old way, that is to say, break up 

 the surface so as to get a varied interest 

 all over the ground, and so let in light 

 and shade and variety. Among these 

 shrubs should be choice evergreens, 

 such as Kalmias and the finer Rhodo- 

 dendrons, which would give us ever- 

 green effects and handsome flowers. 

 Another reason for planting choice 

 shrubs in the flower garden is that we 

 may grow among them a number of 

 beautiful bulbs ; thus will the beds give 

 a double bloom as well as more play 

 of surface. This plan means that most 

 beds of the flower garden could be 



planted to last from seven to ten years 

 and the flower garden would be very 

 much more interesting even in winter, 

 and would give us much less pressing 

 labour in spring. If we wish for tender 

 plants, it is better that they should be 

 planted in smaller areas than is now the 

 case, but we know that the most beau- 

 tiful flower garden can be made with- 

 out the aid of any half-hardy plants. 

 An incidental gain of this true way of 

 flower-gardening is, that we may work 

 at it all the year round — in autumn, 

 winter, spring, and throughout the 

 summer — whereas in the bedding-out 

 way all has to be done with a rush, and 

 there is no time for the consideration of 

 many points of colour and subtleties of 

 grouping, succession, and arrangement, 

 which a true flower-garden should give 

 us. 



THE GREATER TREES OF THE NORTHERN FOREST.— No. 6. 

 THE AMERICAN ELM (Ulmus americand). 



Of all our native trees the American Elm, which is common to a very wide area, 

 is unquestionably the most generally esteemed, not only for its beauty at all 

 times, but for the variety of its numerous forms. It is our most stately and 

 graceful tree, whether casting its shade over summer field or pasture, or rearing 

 its noble shaft above its fellows in a wood, or arching its pendent boughs where- 

 on the hang-bird weaves her nest, in a leafy grove, over village street, or city 

 avenue. No tree is more airy or more lace-like in form during winter, or waves 

 more gracefully in the autumn wind. 



The Elm family, which includes some sixteen species, is extensively dis- 

 tributed through the boreal and temperate regions of the northern hemisphere 

 (excepting western North America), reaching in this country to the mountains 

 of South Mexico, where one species, Ulmus mexicana^ is indigenous. Alto- 

 gether five species are more or less known in eastern North America, while in 

 Europe three species are named by the botanists — U. campestris^ U scabra, and 

 U. Icevis. The species common to this country are U. americana^ the American, 

 White, or Water Elm ; U. racemosa, the Rock or Cork Elm ; U. alata^ the 



