52 
THE FLOWER GARDEN. 
By adopting this precaution conifers especially will not be 
so liable to turn brown and unsightly later on. On light 
soils a heavy mulching of old manure will be beneficial. 
Planting of any kind is best done when the soil is neither 
excessively wet nor dry. 
Transplanting:. — Perennials and alpines may be 
transplanted in October and November or in March. At 
the same time, too, the roots may be divided if necessary. 
Bulbs and tuberous rooted plants should be transplanted 
when their foliage withers. An exception must be made 
in the case of Lilium candidum. As this is practically 
evergreen, 'the best time to do it is directly after flowering. 
Roses are best transplanted in October. Evergreen trees 
and shrubs transplant best in May or September, observ- 
ing the same precautions as advised for planting in the 
matter of watering and syringing. Deciduous trees and 
shrubs should be transplanted directly the leaves begin to 
fall. In removing large trees and shrubs, lift with as 
large a ball of soil and roots as possible, have the new 
site ready beforehand, transfer thereto quickly and imme- 
diately cover with soil. Mats should be thrown over the 
roots during the transference from one place to the other. 
Very large trees and shrubs require someone who has pre- 
vious experience of such work to do it satisfactorily. 
Pruning:. — Here we have a most important operation. 
Grave errors are often committed in pruning flowering 
trees and shrubs. The pruning is done in winter, the 
flowering shoots being thus cut away, and the result is few 
or no flowers. The proper time to prune flowering trees 
and shrubs is directly after flowering. Then such shoots 
as have borne flowers may be cut back to the nearest 
strong young shoot or shoots that will yield flowers the 
next season. All flowering trees and shrubs, however, 
do not need pruning. Those that require it are mentioned 
in the cultural notes in connection with each genus. In 
winter t'he foregoing may have any dead wood cut and all 
suckers removed. Deciduous trees and shrubs grown for 
their foliage only should be pruned directly the leaves fall. 
If large branches are removed always cut back close to 
