112 EVERGREEN IIEDGES. [August. 
thereby not encouraging the bud to grow, which, if winter 
sets in early, is the safest method. 
OF WATERING. 
If the season be dry, look over the lately planted shrubs, 
and give them frequent copious waterings ; and a few of the 
finest annuals that are wanted to flower perfectly should be 
attended to. We do confess that we used to be advocates 
for giving plenty of water to the Dahlia, but the sevei'e 
drought of 1838 put our science to the test, and the result 
was, that of ahout one hundred plants of our most choice 
hinds, which we regularly watered three times a-week, for 
nine weeks, during which period we had not a drop of rain, 
the plants grew luxuriantly, but many of them never pro- 
duced a perfect bloom ; and those that had no attention 
whatever paid to them, except a little manure or litter laid 
on the surface over the roots, flowered almost as well as in our 
more moist seasons. Hence we infer that an occasional water- 
ing may be of service, but continued and repeated artificial 
waterings are injurious. 
AUGUST. 
EVERGREEN HEDGES. 
These always make two growths in the season, and the 
best time to perform the operation of clipping or dressing 
them is before the plants begin their second growth. Choose, 
if possible, dull and cloudy days, as in such weather they 
will not be so liable to get brown or bruised by shearing. 
The general practice in forming these is to have the sides 
even and the top level, forming a right angle on each side. 
However neat in appearance this may be considered, it 
certainly is stiff and formal. We never approve of clipping 
where it can be avoided, and, when adopted, nature ought to 
