DEVOTED TO 



^orHruIhrp, ^ptoriru!!up?, ©olaHg %* PLurel Affairs. 



THOMAS MEIEHATQ", Editor 

 W. G. P. BKUKrCKliOii], Publisher. 



MAY, 18S7. 



VOL. IX. "NO. 5. 



5inh for JflOag. 



FLOWER-GAHDEKr AND 



PLEASURE- 



Throughout the Middle and Northern States, 

 May is the great month for flower gardening. 



Fresh soil is verj^ important. Things seldom do 

 well two 5'ears running in the same place. Have 

 a care that the roots of neighboring trees do not get 

 into the bed ; they rob it and dry it, and the flowers 

 dwindle and die. If beds are near trees go round 

 the bed once a year with a spade and cut off" all the 

 roots that may have strayed into the bed. This is 

 very important in beds of evergreen shrubs, like 

 Maho)Lias, Eiionymusi and Rhododendrons ^ which 

 like shade, but not dry, impoverished soil. 



Leaf mould is good for flowers if two or three 

 years old, and very much decayed ; when but half 

 gotten it is an injury. Rotten sod is the best soil 

 for flowers ; and cow manure, which has lain two 

 years to rot, the best fertilizer. Where rotten sod is 

 not easily obtained, the edging parings of walks 

 may be preserved in a heap for flower purposes. 



In planting out flowers don't take them at once 

 from the hot house to the open ground, set the pots 

 out for a few days in a cold frame with plenty of 

 air, or under a tree in a sheltered place. Before 

 turning them out of pots, water ; and when set in the 

 earth, press the soil very hard about the flower 

 roots. If the ground be dry, tlie earth cannot be 

 pressed too hard. 



Don't make the beds very high, or the rains in 

 summer will run off too rapidly. After smoothing 

 the surface peg down the plants as much as possi- 

 ble so as to cover the surface soon. The plants also 

 push out side shoots easier. Where small twigs can 



be had, split and double them like hair pins, for 

 pegging down ; where these are not at hand, sm.all 

 pieces of bast mat or twine, doubled and dibbled in 

 the earth by the ends, make very fine pegs. 



In this climate, Hothouse plants often make no- 

 ble bedders. The Chinese Rose, Hibiscus, is a first 

 class thing, making a gorgeous show all summer. 

 The Geranium, also is getting immensely popular. 

 The tree Carnation is also in much request. The 

 Madagascar Periwinkle, rose and white, is also now 

 often seen in beds and masses. 



Climbing plants grow faster on trellis than if left 

 to themselves ; stick them in as soon as the climbers 

 are set out. 



Deciduous trees can be safely transplanted after 

 the leaves have pushed, and up to the first of J une ; 

 but the new leaves must be taken off, and the young 

 shoots shortened. In a few weeks they will push 

 out a new crop of leaves. According to "natural 

 laws" as laid down in the books, it would iniure the 

 trees very much ; but, after a ten year's observation 

 of the facts, we do not find it hurts the vitality of 

 the trees very much, while few ever die so treated. 

 Evergreens seem to do better in May than in any 

 other spring month. Of the newer evergreens, Thu- 

 jopsis borealis, Cupressus Lawsoniana, Libocedrus 

 decurrens, Thuja ericoides, are really good addi- 

 tions to our list. 



Tuberoses, Gladiolus, Tigridias, Dahlias, and 

 other bulbous things which cannot be put out till 

 the ground gets warm, ought not to be kept out of 

 the earth any longer than necessary. It was once 

 supposed they thrive best in poor soil — an error : 

 they love rich food. 



Mow lawns very early the first mowing; or at 

 every at every subsequent mowing, the lawn will look 

 brown : a thin sprinkling of salt is good for the lawn, 

 just enough salt to see the grains on the surface 

 about a quarter of an inch apart. An over-dose 

 will destroy the grass. Frequent rolling is one of 

 best ways to get a good close sod. When coarse 

 weeds get in the lawn, hand weeding is the best 

 remedy. 



