I 860 .] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
1 15 
verticillata ; Spiraea salicifolia, and opulifolia ; Ce- 
anothus Americanus ; Potentilla floribunda ; Me- 
nispermum Canadense; Clematis Virginiana, etc., 
etc. All of these and many more can be found in 
the latitude of Albany, and are worthy of a place 
in large grounds. 
Planting Shrubbery. 
Too little attention, it seems to us, is given to 
this feature of ornamental planting. Our rural 
improvers generally persist in setting out coarse 
timber trees, in rows like an orchard, all over 
their grounds, and finishing off their work by put¬ 
ting a lilac or a few rose-bushes around the door¬ 
way. Well, this is better than nothing. But an 
improvement can be made on this, as the follow¬ 
ing hints may show: 
Let the forest trees—except on large places — 
be few in number, and confined mostly to the 
boundaries of one’s premises. The trees near the 
house should be of smaller size, and such as have 
smooth trunks and branches. A few shrubs may 
be set near the dwelling. If the premises are 
small, like most village lots, single specimens 
of large shrubs may be set on the lawn and 
trained up as miniature trees. This will give the 
place an appearance of larger extent than though 
it had been set with forest trees. Shrubs may 
also be planted in groups and masses, arranging 
them according to their respective hights. They 
may also be used as screens to hide disagreeable 
objects, or to conceal one part of the grounds 
from the other. They appear very well, also, 
when used to encircle a flower garden ; the cen¬ 
tral beds being occupied with plants, and the 
boundaries set with shrubs, the lowest in front 
and the highest in the rear. 
As belts to conceal from the house the outer 
fences of one’s grounds, they are also useful. 
The pleasure walks may be led around in front 
of these belts, and so afford a pleasant view of 
them all through the season. If they are set here, 
instead of being crowded in front of the house, 
the lawn appears larger, and every way better. 
A good assortment of shrubs will afford one a 
variety of flowers nearly all the Summer, and that 
with far less trouble than any other class of plants. 
We will here mention a few of the desirable 
sorts to plant: Azaleas, in variety ; Pyrus japon- 
ica; Robinia ; Spirara ; Deutzia ; Euonymus ; 
Hibiscus; Hydrangea; Philadelphus ; Syringa ; 
Viburnum; Weigelia, etc. A shrubbery is a 
permanent affair, one of the “institutions” of a 
country-place, and should therefore be made well 
at the outset, and afterwards taken care of. 
Those well proved and fast friends afford us in 
the long run, the greatest satisfaction. 
-— - - —■«.«--- «■- 
Set out a few more Fruit Trees, etc. 
Yes, set out a cherry tree by the gate near the 
road, and another at the end of the house to par¬ 
tially shade the sitting room from the hot sun. 
The cherry, when well trained, forms a regular, 
symmetrical tree, ornamental at least when cov¬ 
ered with a profusion of snow white bloom, or 
bending beneath its load of dark red fruit. Seta 
pear tree in the nook by the shed, and one at each 
end of the carriage-house. They will injure 
nothing, and the rich soil will cause them to grow 
rapidly. Now put out a few peach trees along the 
garden border where the shade will scarcely in¬ 
jure the vegetables ; or a few trees may be set 
compactly 15 reec apart, and the space they would 
shade be used for raspberries and blackberries. 
There is the lane, too, leading to the pasture, 
which might well have a row of apple or pear 
trees upon each side, which will injure the ad¬ 
jacent fields far less than the returns they should 
give. The road sides, also, can be set with ap¬ 
ple trees yielding winter fruit. Such single rows 
of trees usually give better returns than the 
same number of trees in an orchard. Again, 
there is the south side of the barn, shed, and 
hovel, yes, and the tight fence upon the north 
side of the garden, which might be covered 
with grape vines and yield many bushels of fruit. 
Now, reader, look about your buildings, around 
the yards, along the fences, etc., and see if there 
is not room for a few more trees. Then go to the 
nearest nurseryman, if he is an honest, careful 
grower, and select your trees, have them taken 
up with all the roots, take them home without 
exposure to the sun, and set at once in large 
broad holes, spreading out the roots and fibers in 
their natural position. If the soil is not rich, add 
a little old manure or ground bones at the time of 
setting, and hopefully await the result of your ex¬ 
penditures in time and money. 
-— i i^a»» -- 
Puddling. 
For nurserymen and others who have much 
planting to do, this is a practice of great impor¬ 
tance. And this is the way : Dig a hole in a 
central part of your garden, two feet deep, and 
five feet in diameter, choosing a spot where the 
soil is quite stiff. If no such soil can be had, the 
sides and bottom of the hole must be plastered 
with a thick coating of clay. Now, fill the hole 
two thirds ful-1 with water, throw in a few shovels 
full of soil, stirring it up with a hoe as you pro¬ 
ceed, until it is of the consistency of cream. 
Some persons recommend throwing in a shovel 
full or two of cow-dung. A tub or half-hogshead 
sunk in the soil answers the purpose of a pud¬ 
dling hole, where a permanent one is desired. 
On digging up trees, shrubs, or any kind of 
plants, dip their roots in this cream and stir them 
about until every part is well covered. On tak¬ 
ing them out, sprinkle some fine soil over them; 
and set them away in the shade. The trees 
may then be set out at leisure, or they may 
be transported a great distance before planting. 
Whether set out at once, or after several days, 
this puddling will be greatly to their advantage. 
A little care may be necessary in setting out, to 
see that the fibers of the roots are not matted 
together. They should all be spread out in their 
natural position. 
----a»o--► - 
Straighten the Fruit Trees. 
We often see in fruit yards and orchards, trees 
inclining more or less. This deformity is some¬ 
times the result of carelessness in setting, some¬ 
times owing to prevailing winds in exposed posi¬ 
tions. After a few years the inclination becomes 
permanent, to the great damage, not only of the 
beauty of the tree, but of its usefulness. For the 
erect habit, with a broad,well balanced head, is the 
normal position of a fruit tree, in which the ali¬ 
ment from the soil and the rays of the sun are 
most equally distributed among all the branches. 
In this position, too, it will sustain, without dam- 
mage to the limbs, the largest burden of fruit. 
We have noticed that the apple borer is sure to 
make its attacks upon the under side of an in¬ 
clined tree, where it is, in some measure, shelter¬ 
ed from the rain. 
Though this may seem a small matter to the 
fruit grower, he will find it will pay well for his 
labor, to put these inclined trees into an erect 
position. If they have been thrown out of line 
by the prevailing winds, it will be well to throw 
them up a few inches into the wind, to make al 
lowance for the future influence of the wind 
upon their growth. The best instrument to 
straighten them with, is a forked stick from the 
woods, ten or twelve feet long. Sharpen the 
lower end, so that it will stick firmly in the 
ground, and bring the crotch under one of the 
lower limbs, where it will not slip. A padding of 
straw or old cloth in the crotch, will prevent any 
injurious effects upon the bark of the tree. Loosen 
the soil on the windward side of the tree to pre¬ 
vent binding. A single season will generally suf¬ 
fice to make any tree permanently upright. The 
best time to do this is at the beginning of the 
growing season. 
In the case of small trees, and where forked 
stakes are not convenient, the work may be done 
by a stout cord, fastened to a stiff stake, driven 
into the ground. In this case the tree has to be 
pulled into position, instead of being pushed. The 
cord, where it goes round the trunk, should have 
a padding of straw or litter. In case of large 
trees it is sometimes necessary to cut an ob¬ 
stinate root, that holds the tree in a leaning po¬ 
sition. A little attention in a young orchard will 
make all the rows straight, and the trees longer 
lived and more fruitful. In setting trees at first 
it is well to incline them towards prevailing 
winds. 
•Grafting the Gooseberry upon the Missouri 
Currant. 
To the Editor of the American Agriculturist: 
1 have succeeded in raising gooseberries even 
in unfavorable situations, by grafting them upon 
the Missouri or yellow flowering Currant, (Ribes 
aurtum,) which is quite common as an ornamental 
shrub. I graft in early Spring, before the buds of 
the cions have swelled. Insert in the usual cleft 
manner, about two feet from the ground. The 
little “ gooseberry trees ” are quite ornamental, 
bear abundantly, and the fruit i-s far less liable to 
mildew than when grown near the ground. With 
moderate skill ingrafting, most of the cions will 
grow. W. Dennis. 
-* g t ■—--— 
Grafting Grape Vines. 
Many persons have old vines in their gardens 
•which are worthless, or nearly so, and which they 
would like to replace with something better. In¬ 
stead of digging them up and beginning again 
with very small plants of a new kind, it may be 
well to try and change their tops by grafting. This 
is the more desirable with such of the newer va¬ 
rieties as are of feeble growth. By insertion in 
the stock of a more rampant sort, they will he 
rendered more luxuriant and vigorous. 
To do this well, requires more care than in 
grafting an ordinary fruit tree. The sap of the 
vine is so watery and so profuse in its flow, that 
it prevents the nice and speedy union of the cion 
and stock, but it is often done successfully. 
The first thing, of course, is to secure the cions, 
which should have been cut before the Spring 
flow of sap, and buried in the cellar o.r other cool 
place. In preparing them for insertion, select 
strong, well-ripened wood. Some persons suc¬ 
ceed in grafting, early in the Spring, at the usual 
time of orchard grafting, but this is not as favorable 
as a later period. Early in June, o.v when the leave; 
of the stock are well developed, and the first rosl- 
of sap is over, head down the vine to two or threv 
inches below the surface of the soil; make a clem 
cut with a fine-toothed saw, and pare off tto» 
edges of the cut smooth with a knife. Then, 
make a vertical slit down the stock with a chisel 
