April.'] BOX EDGINGS. 95 
firm with the foot ; fill up, and water as directed for ever- 
greens in this month. If the season is very dry, give it fre- 
quent copious waterings. 
None of them should be topped for a few seasons, except 
such as are much above the others in height, keeping the 
sides regular and even by clipping or shearing once a year, 
either in this month or at the end of August. It is better 
to keep the top (when they have got to the desired height) 
pointed than broad. The latter method retains a heavy 
weight of snow, which frequently breaks down, or otherwise 
deforms, that which has cost much labour to put into shape. 
Euonymus joponira, bright green foliage of free growth 
and quite hardy. There is also the variegated variety, very 
excellent for hedges south of this latitude. 
BOX EDGINGS. 
Where these have not been laid, this month is the proper 
time. Do not delay the planting of such any later. For 
ample directions, see March, under this head. Clipping of 
these should be done about the middle of this month. 
There will then be no danger of frosts to brown the leaves, 
and the young foliage will not be expanded. To keep these 
edgings in order, they must be cut once a year, and never be 
allowed to get above four inches high and two inches wide. 
What we consider the neatest edging is three inches high, 
two inches wide at the bottom, tapering to a thin edge at the 
top. It is very unsightly to see large bushy edgings, espe- 
cially to narrow walks. 
The use of edgings is to keep the soil from the gravel, and 
the larger they are allowed to grow, the more ineffectual they 
become; growing more open below as they advance in height. 
The operation may be done very expeditiously by clipping 
the tops level, going longitudinally along with shears for the 
purpose, called " box shears." Strain a line along the centre 
of the edgings, cutting perpendicularly from the line to the 
bottom on each side, leaving only the breadth of the line at 
top. Edgings cut in this manner, every spring, will always 
look well, and the trouble, comparatively, is a mere trifle. 
