TREES, FLOWERS AND VEGETABLES. 



411 



reason why, when grown in dry soil to induce early ripen- 

 ing of the wood, and in any but the most exposed places, 

 they may not be counted among our most ornamental 

 small-sized trees. Although true trees in the sense of 

 having a trunk, yet in stature they can be classed only 

 among shrubs. 



Of different species and varieties in our collection, the 

 following are worthy of special note : The blood-red 

 Japan maple [Acer polymoyphum sanguineinn), with 

 deeply five-lobed leaves of a reddish crimson hue in 

 June, has thus far stood our winters well, not even the 

 ends of its branches being killed. The dark purple- 

 leaved Japan maple {A. folymorphinn atropurpureum), 

 with deeply-cut, dark claret - red foliage, has suffered 

 slightly ; the ends of its twigs sometimes freeze. The 

 cut-leaved purple Japan maple appears somewhat more 

 delicate than the foregoing. The parent type of the 

 Jipan maples, Acer polynnorphitm, is of slow growth, 

 the foliage being much smaller than that of any of the 

 varieties here named. Although this, like the others of 

 our collection, promises to be perfectly hardy when well 

 established, it did not escape some injury from the freez- 

 ing back of soft growth during the past winter. The 

 leaves of this species are a dark green in the spring, but 

 later they assume a somewhat crimson hue. The aconite- 

 leaved Japan maple (.-/. Japonicum acon- 

 itifolium) is distinct from the polymor- 

 phum type. The leaves are deeply and 

 exquisitely cut, reminding one of lace. It ^ ' 



has stood the winters well here. 



Stuartia pentagyna. — This charming 

 shrub has passed through two winters at 

 Woodbanksin perfect condition. This is 

 the more noteworthy because it is a member of the cam 

 ellia family, indigenous to our southern coast states. 

 The tree flowered last year for the first time. 



Increase of Plant-Stock. — One of the pleasures of 

 managing a garden like this one of 13 acres, occupied as 

 the editorial home, is the increase of materials on one's 

 hands from year to year. For example ; where a begin- 

 ning was made with a single plant each, of many kinds, 

 three years ago, this spring we set large groups of a num- 

 ber of kinds at no increase of cost save the handling. 

 Among plants which increased rapidly were eulalias and 

 other grasses, sedums, echeverias, vincas, hemerocallis, 

 phloxes (especially the procumbent class), aubrietias, 

 campanulas, funkias, helianthus, etc. Different varieties 

 of vincas, or periwinkles, set each in a small separate 

 clump three years ago, were this year used in covering 

 shaded mounds. Each clump furnished about 75 plants. 



Evergreens and shrubs increase in the same way. 

 Twenty-inch plants set 3 or 4 feet apart three years ago 

 formed groups 5 or 6 feet tall. They were thinned this 

 year and last, and the thinnings planted for new groups. 



Hardening Plants. — Too many of our gardeners 

 neglect one most important point, namely, the proper 

 hardening of pi ;nts before their transfer to open ground. 

 Then the plants wilt, and require shading and nursing. 

 Tomato and similar plants should not show the least 



immediate effect of their removal to open ground, in 

 their outward appearance. 



We like to start the plants early, and in fairly good 

 heat, in order to make them grow with reasonable thrift 

 from the beginning ; but we guard carefully against 

 overdoing this. Excessive bottom-heat causes sappy, 

 spindling growth ; crowding makes cripples. A green- 

 house is a good thing to have in order to begin in time ; 

 but for the later stages of plant-life, we prefer moderate 

 hotbeds, or even coldframes. The greenhouse does 

 not give us opportunity enough for hardening plants 

 properly. The hotbed gradually loses its bottom-heat 

 as the time for planting-out approaches, and, like an or- 

 dinary coldframe, permits one to give the plants, during 

 the cold weather in May, all the exposure needed pre- 

 paratory to outdoor life. Our plants, after setting-out 

 in open ground, seldom flag. They bloom and develop 



Ranunculus amplexicaulis. 



fruit as if nothing had happened. But this is due to 

 their slow, sturdy growth, thorough hardening off, and 

 careful transplanting. People who grow tomatoes and 

 similar plants in greenhouses should remove them to 

 coldframes at least two weeks before setting them in the 

 open ground. 



We always like to have plants near the glass, but not 

 touching it. Our coldframes are simple boxes, set upon 

 level ground, and banked all around with soil or coal- 

 ashes. The plants are near the glass even when first set 

 in. As they grow and begin to touch the glass, we pry 

 the frames up with a crowbar, and pack some soil under 

 to hold them up. This operation is repeated as often as 

 needed to keep the glass just an inch or so above the 

 plant-tops. 



