836 



THE PRACTICAL GARDENER. 



MONTHLY OPERATIONS 



OF TtlB 



FLOWER GARDEN. 



JANUARY. 



PLANTING ORNAMENTAL TREES AND SHRUBS. 



At this season, few operations can be carried on in this 

 department, at least as far as regards planting, &c., unless the 

 season be unusually mild, and the soil to be operated upon 

 be of a dry, light texture. Strong wet soils should either be 

 planted early in autumn or late in spring. However, when it 

 is intended to plant, the ground may be prepared, if the 

 weather be dry, and all made ready for planting as the season 

 advances. Should it be temperate, and the soil dry, deci- 

 duous shrubs and trees may be planted, taking care to keep 

 them as short time as possible out of the ground, in order that 

 the roots may not be exposed to the cutting winds. Tender 

 shrubs and evergreens of every description, should not be 

 pL^nted now, unless under favorable circumstances, but the 

 former in March or November, and the latter in August and 

 September, and April and May, when it will be found that 

 they will succeed much better. However, where mixed shrub- 

 beries are to be planted, the spaces for such may be left until 

 the above seasons. With great care, however, evergreens 

 may be removed, even if of a large size, at any season from 

 April to November, but not so successfully during the winter 

 months. The success of transplanting, in all cases, depends 

 much on the length of time which the plants are out of the 

 ground, as well as on their size, and the nature of the soil in 

 which they grow. In cold situations and strong soils, before 

 planting be attempted, it is necessary that the ground be pro- 

 perly drained and trenched, without which, there can be little 



