114 
FLORA AND SYLVA 
to one level, is stupid and ugly, because 
there are so many things that give a very 
fine undergrowth without clipping. 
Take for example the large Partridge- 
berry {Gaiilthe7^ia Shallo^i) of North 
America, as it may be seen at Cool- 
hurst — what an excellent undergrowth 
it makes, and yet how little grown. 
Evergreen Barberries might alternate 
with our commonnativeBarberry, which 
is such a brilliant thing in fruit, and wide 
masses of Aucuba and Yellow Azaleas, 
which are now so easily raised. Such 
excellent evergreen covert plants as 
Cunningham's White Rhododendrons 
should be used, and they can be bought 
on their own roots. Rhododendrons 
are a host in themselves, but there is 
too much of the dull po?tticum. We 
should encourage the bright-coloured 
kinds such as yacksojiii^ and never put 
in a grafted plant. There are splendid 
kinds in the country if people will only 
layer them, or even allow them to layer 
themselves as they often will when let 
alone in a wood. Kinds good in colour 
can be picked out in flowering time at 
the lowest rate the nursery trade offers. 
Only hardy things will be used, and 
in southern places we might have a 
little more variety of evergreen under- 
growth. Some of the new Bamboos 
would help very much for effect, such 
as pahtiata^ which keeps the ground 
clean and is very fine in character. In 
open and poor soils the Heaths would 
tell well, such as the Cornish Heath, 
and the Common Heather in its stout- 
est varieties. Sweet Briars, Wild Roses, 
and Brambles, would naturally be wel- 
comed, and it would be well to en- 
courage native bushes like Viburnum, 
Sloe, and the beautiful Spindle Tree 
[Ruo7iy7mts europcEus)^ and plants such 
as Solomon's Seal and the Ferns, which 
' often form a pretty undergrowth in 
woods. Wherever natural covert exists, 
as it often does in large woods — that is 
to say, tall evergreen Sedges like Carex 
j paniculata^ or handsome masses of 
Bracken or Brambles — they should be 
carefully kept, as there is no better 
covert. 
As regards the time for doing the 
work, the planting had better be done 
from early autumn until March or April, 
but much may be done throughout the 
year in clearing the ground and getting 
rid of objectionable plants. That is even 
better done in summer, as we are then 
more certain to make an end of them 
than if we do it in winter or autumn. 
When planting Holly in rabbity places 
it will be necessary to wire, and if we 
I plant in large, bold masses as we always 
j ought, the wiring is easier. Happily 
rabbits do not attack Box, which is a 
j great gain when seeking covert for 
I hungry soils or poor dry bluffs. 
It is important in such woods to have 
the rides airy, clear, and green, and not 
less than i8 feet wide. In dry places 
there is little to do but clear them, but 
in wet soils it may be necessary to form 
a dick on each side, the soil from which 
should be thrown up to make the rides 
drier ; these dicks to be outside the 1 8 
feet line. We lose nothing by having 
such rides, because the trees enjoy the 
soil and the best timber often comes 
alongside them. Much can be done by 
; seeds sown direct on the ground, even 
