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DEVOTED TO 



THOMAS P/TSEHAN", Fbttor 

 V/. G. P. BKIJNrCKLOE.PuiJj.isHER. 



APRIL, 1867. 



vox.. IX. "NO. 4, 



GiiOUND. 



Arranging flower beds affords room for a display 

 of taste. Narrow, thin beds as a rule, have better 

 effects than thick or heavy ones. Edgings to beds 

 are common. The evergreen Ivy is good— r,o is 

 Periwinkle. The variegated, large-leaved Periwin- 

 kle is a treasure. Daphne cneorum is also good — 

 for large beds, Shrubland Pet Rose Geranium is 

 very effective. The new Iresine Herbstii will, no 

 doubt, prove a very popular bedding plant, — better 

 even than Coleus Verschaffeltii. The old tribe 

 Scarlet Geraniums make splendid American bed- 

 ders. Lord Palmerston and Stella are two of the 

 best, but yet scarce and high priced. Lanata, 

 Rosamond, Christine, "Really Good," Chance and 

 Lallah, are six of the best bedders. The old Hark- 

 away is an enormous bloomer, though for the sin- 

 gle flower poor enough ; it is one of the best 

 bedders. 



Place broad-leaved evergreens where they will 

 get no sun in winter, j^et away from where the roots 

 of trees will make the ground dry in summer. Deep 

 soil, but shallow planting, is all important for them. 

 In transplanting, take care of the roots. Good 

 roots are of more importance than good "balls." 

 Balls of earth are useful in keeping fibres moist ; 

 but don't sacrifice the best fibres five or six feet 

 from the tree for the few fibres in the ball at the 

 base. When roots are rather dry, after filling a 

 portion of soil, pour in water freely. After all has 

 settled away, fill in lightly the balance of the soil, 

 and let it rest for a few days. This is as a remedy, 

 not as a rule ; for watering this way cools the soil. 



ultimately hardens it, and in other respects works 

 to the injury of the transplanted tree. 



Unless inside of a round ring, or circular walk, 

 doii't plant trees or shrubs in formal chimps. They 

 are abominations in the eyes of persons of taste. 

 Meaningless irregularities form the opposite ex- 

 treme. Remember, "art is nature better under- 

 stood." 



In your flower-beds, if the plants sickened last 

 year, change the soil. Renovated earth is renewed 

 health to consumptive flowers. Sow Annuals as 

 soon as the ground is warm. Too early sowing and 

 deep covering rots seeds very often. This is fre- 

 quently the cause of one's seeds being "bad." 

 Prepare flowers in their winter quarters for the 

 summer campaign, by gradually inuring them to 

 the air before setting out finally. Set out when all 

 danger of frost is over. Don't set out a plant with 

 a dry ball ; but water well while in the pot an hour 

 or so before. 



Prepare ground for planting. Soil loosened two 

 feet deep dries out less in summer than soil one 

 foot deep. Rich soil grows a tree larger in one year 

 than a poor soil will in three. Under-drained soil 

 is cooler in summer than soil not under drained. 

 The feeding roots of trees come near the surface ; 

 therefore plant no deeper than necessary to keep 

 the tree in the soil. If there be danger of its 

 blowing over, stake it, but don't plant deep. One 

 stake set at an angle is as good as two set perpen- 

 dicular. Straw or mat set around the tree keeps 

 the bark from rubbing. Large stones placed around 

 a transplanted tree are often better than a stake. 

 They keep the soil moist, admit the air, and en- 

 courage surface roots. Shorten the shoots at trans- 

 planting. This induces growth, and growth pro- 

 duces roots ; and with new roots your tree is safe 

 for a nother season. Unpruned trees produce leaves, 

 but little growth, and less new roots. 



VEGETABLE GARDEN. 



Few things mark a well-kept garden better than 

 an abnndance of all kinds of herbs. Now is the 



