16 
THE MANUAL OF GARDENING. 
those of increasing size placed behind, in succession, till the tall 
ones reach the centre of the bed, or the back of the border. In 
narrow borders, which will not admit of more than one or two 
rows of plants, either singly or in groups, plants of different 
heights may be grown alternately, taking care that they do not 
overshadow or hide the smaller ones. Great care must be had, 
in selecting plants, to secure a succession of flowers. In small 
gardens, particularly, it is necessary to attend carefully to the 
variety of colours, heights of plants, and their time of blowing; 
or, when the plants come to maturity, they will produce any- 
thing rather than a pleasing effect: but with due attention, there 
is little or no difficulty in keeping a constant supply — so that, for 
the greater part of the year, something pretty or showy may be 
found. In. our description of shrubs and flowers, the height, co- 
lour and lime of blowing are noted, in order that attention may 
be paid to these particulars. 
ON TRANSPLANTING TREES AND SHRUBS.— Suc- 
cess in transplanting depends in a great degree on the skill and 
care with which that operation is performed; for, unless it be 
done in a workman-like manner, it had better be left undone, as 
in that case we should escape the pain and regret of seeing our 
labour yield the fruit of disappointment. In many, very many, 
cases, where trees and plants die on being transplanted, it is 
probable, if we could, Asmodeus like, pry into all the circum- 
stances which attended the removal, we should find that the 
plainest dictates of reason, to say nothing of the well attested 
facts which horticultural experience has developed, as governing 
rules, had been violated, and, that either the plant had been 
unduly shorn of its roots in removal, that it had been cribbed and 
confined in a hole better fitted for a post, than “a thing of life ;” 
or, that its former habit had been opposed by placing it, perhaps, 
many inches deeper in the ground than it had formerly stood. 
Success in horticulture must mainly depend on studying the 
operations of nature, by striving to aid her efforts, but in no case 
going counter to them ; for though she may at times and for a 
limited period suffer opposition to her laws, she will ultimately 
exhibit her displeasure. 
On removing trees from the nursery or elsewhere, let it be done 
so as to preserve as many roots as possible; any which may have 
been mutilated, and the long and straggling ones, should be 
pruned, taking care at the same time to screen them from the 
sun and drying winds, whilst the preparations for planting are in 
progress. If they have been received from a distance, imme- 
diately on their arrival, the bundles or boxes, as the case may be, 
shquld be unpacked, the roots well watered and “ laid in,” as it 
is technically termed, that is, placing them in an angular 
