^CUlTiiREtHO 
EXCELSIOR 
@3.00 PER YEAR. 
Single iVo., Eigiit Cents, 
[Entered aocordtng to Act of Congress, in the year 1OT). by D. D. T. Moore, in the Clerk’s Office of the District Court, of the United States for the Southern nistriet of Xew York.] 
rboriculttrrr 
broadest and most attractive foliage. Many 
persons train them to a single stem, forming 
the head at some four feet from the ground, 
but my taste is for toliage and flowers from 
the ground upward. I see no special beauty 
in bare stems, except as they become a ne¬ 
cessity, combined with the position of a tree 
or shrub, toward its utility. 
Of about the same height and spread of 
growth as these I have named, there are the 
Silver Bell tree, the Double Flowering Sloe 
Plum, the Kolruteria, the Laburnum, &c.., 
&c.; but to note upon these, or eyen name 
all, would make this article too long. 
The next size of plants,—viz.: those mak¬ 
ing a height of six to twelve feet, such as 
the Wiegelu, Althea, Upright Honeysuckle, 
etc.,—are even more desirable in small 
grounds than the preceding, because they 
will nearly nil bear the shears well, and their 
beauty being made up largely from their 
bloom. This cutting, when done at the 
right, time, seems rather to increase than re¬ 
duce the quantity. The Upright. Honey¬ 
suckle is also a line plant for ornamental 
badges; and T have mingled with it, Colutea, 
eties may be obtained of your nurserymen 
at small expense. I would advise the plant¬ 
ing of the evergreen hedge a sufficient dis¬ 
tance from the building so that a number of 
desirable fruit trees may he planted between 
the hedge and building, thus affording a 
protection for the fruit trees, rendering a 
strong growth sure, and the danger of injury 
ot the hud from late frosts considerably 
lessened. L. D. Snook. 
ADORNMENT OF GROUNDS 
BY F. R. ELLIOTT. 
Grouping vs. Masninsr Trrcs. 
Are not the words grouping and massing 
of trees too often confounded or misunder¬ 
stood ? In my practice I find, when obtain¬ 
ing the ideas of those, who desire my services 
in designing, that they talk to me of groups; 
but when they give the extent of ground 
they would have the group occupy, and the 
number of trees their imagination pictures, I 
find they are really forming masses rather 
than groups. As I understand it, no true 
group of t roes can he, formed without giving 
each tree a partial identity of its own, while 
masses may he planted so as to shut out all 
identity of individuality, and as the trees 
feather and interlace, the whole, are blended 
as one whole, varied by its shades and form 
of foliage, os well as its stiff or slender spray. 
In forming groups the rules laid down by 
eminent, landscapists are generally correct, 
but in massing 1 occasionally stumble on 
an example producing most pleasing effects 
and yet out of all character with rules. The 
accompanying sketch is one that attracted 
my notice the past, season. 
It was a chance, neglected mass, produced 
by the owner at the time having just such 
and so many plants left over, that, he did not 
know just where to place, and accordingly 
planted them as here given, thinking after¬ 
ward to have them removed; but the after¬ 
work was never done, and hence this beauti¬ 
ful little mass. In the immediate front is a 
Rhododendron maximum next is a Decidu¬ 
ous cypress, then an Austrian pine, hacked 
by a wild cherry. The soil is a dry, sandy, 
gravelly knoll, and the whole mass does not 
occupy over eight feet length of ground. 
Fee of Ornamental and Flowering Shrubs. 
No cla-s of plants arc so well suited to 
meet the extent of ground allotted for orna¬ 
mental purposes, the care and attention or 
labor expended by the majority of the peo¬ 
ple of this country, as that of hardy shrubs, 
or second class trees. By judicious selection 
they can be made to supply flowers from 
early in spring until Jate in autumn; they 
can be made to serve as partial shades, occu¬ 
pying space unsuited to trees of large 
growth; they can be made useful as hedge 
screens, shutting off from direct view any 
small building or portion of the yard; and 
they can be kept so pruned, low and spread¬ 
ing, as to represent a border or bed of flow¬ 
ers. As most of the varieties are easily pro¬ 
pagated, they can be purchased at quite low 
prices; and as nearly all of them succeed 
well in almost any ordinary garden soil, 
there is no expense attendant on creating a 
soil to suit. 
Too often our country places are crowded 
up and overshadowed with trees utterly un¬ 
suited to the space allotted; but, because of 
having planted them, the owner will not cut 
away, and hence, from year to year, his res¬ 
idence remains almost unseen and his views 
therefrom so obstructed as to cause an ejac¬ 
ulation against some tree as often as he at¬ 
tempts to look from his windows. I have 
been particularly cognizant of this error 
TREES FOR THE SOUTH, 
Elfect of Climate on Treed. 
Dr. E. S. Hull of Alton, Ill., in his In¬ 
dustrial University lecture at. Champaign, 
Ill., made the following statements in regard 
to the effect of climate on trees: 
Orders for nursery trees are generally 
given to nurserymen residing north of the 
place where the trees are to he planted. 
This is done under the impression that 
Northern grown trees are hardier than trees 
grown at home, or South. When or how 
this conclusion was arrived at wo do not 
know — that it is erroneous, we think, may 
he shown, For example, if we examine 
trees grown far North, we find that their 
growth is often checked by frost at, a time 
when the new cells, although perfectly 
formed, were yet soft. These soft cells re¬ 
semble more those of aucenler.t than hard 
wood plants. There will a! > he found to 
be present a large supply of unorganized 
materials, for the formation of other cells, 
which cannot he elaborated by the tree in 
its present condition. These young trees 
are therefore gorged with crude juices which 
are greatly expanded by the severe frosts 
of winter. The new cells all hurst, and the 
unorganized materials in the tree ferment 
and destroy the healthy parts with which 
they are in contact. On the other hand, 
trees grown very far South are, on the ap¬ 
proach of winter, sometimes in a condition 
so similar to trees grown at the North as 
to deserve a passing remark. Owing to the 
great length of the warm season, trees at the 
South often cast their leaves at midsummer, 
and after a short period of rest they make a 
second growth of leaves which cannot be 
matured before they are killed by the frost 
of winter. When this occurs, both the 
Northern and Southern trees are in the 
same condition. Both are largely supplied 
with crude matter which they cannot ma¬ 
ture; hence the trees of both sections will 
be found too tender to withstand, uninjured, 
our mildest winters. 
If the facts wo have stated are borne in 
mind, they will afford a clue to the treat¬ 
ment trees should receive at the two ex¬ 
tremes of latitude, at, which it maybe desir¬ 
able to grow them. For instance, a tree at 
the North should be so treated as to enable 
it to mature its growth some days or some 
weeks earlier than it would do if culti¬ 
vated as it commonly is. On the other 
hand, trees grown at the South should re¬ 
ceive such cult ure as would prolong growth 
to as late a period as possible, and thereby 
avoid tlio summer rest and tendency to a 
second growth. If these conditions are se¬ 
cured, the trees of both sections will be as 
hardy as those which grow at an intermedi¬ 
ate point, where they mature at a proper 
time without artificial aid. 
The list of ornamental flowering, hardy 
shrubs and of second class trees is quite 
large, and one can lmrdly go amiss in making 
selections, so far as beauty either of foliage, 
flower or habit may occur; but there Jr 
something hi the* situation and position of 
each shrub that must be studied in connec¬ 
tion with the surroundings. Most of the 
low growing and beat blooming sorts appear 
to the greatest advantage when planted in 
masses or .groups; but a single bush of the 
scarlet Japan Quince, when well and closely 
preserved so as to give it a round yet sweep¬ 
ing form, is always showy, attractive, beau- 
tilul. So, also, the Enonymus or Strawberry 
Tree, the Wahooof the West. 
with light, yellowish, glossy foliage, fitting it 
well for a foreground email tree or large 
shrub. Its seed capsules, which it produces 
in abundance, add not a little to its attrac¬ 
tiveness. 
THE COLATEA. 
to a very good effect. This latter shrub is 
one of the prettiest for distinct or single 
planting. It bears the shears well, has deli¬ 
cate light green foliage, commences to bloom 
in June, and frequently continues many 
weeks, even into September, constantly 
opening its flowers, of pale or orange yel¬ 
low, which are followed by balloon-like 
pods, rendering the shrub peculiarly inter¬ 
esting and attractive. 
THE nop TREE. 
The purple and white fringe trees are also 
of large growth for shrubs; the former ap¬ 
parently adapting itself to any soil, although 
light., dry soils seem to suit it best. Its pro¬ 
fusion of hairy pedicles, or abortive flowers, 
make it always an object of interest and at¬ 
traction during August and September. It 
is probably best known by the name of 
Smoke Tree. 
WIND-BREAKS 
Many a farmer’s cottage and out-build¬ 
ings are situated upon an eminence, or 
prairie, with no natural protection from the 
cold, bleak, wintry winds,— necessitating the 
use of a large quantity of fuel to keep the 
house warn and comfortable, and much 
fodder to keep up the animal warmth of 
stock. Nothing will bo as successful in 
counteracting this influence as a belt, of tim¬ 
ber or evergreens planted upon the wind¬ 
ward side of such buildings. An orchard 
thus planted will not only prove highly re¬ 
munerative, but add to the value of the 
premises, and form a partial protection from 
the wintry blasts. 
The best shelter or protection is one or 
more rows of evergreen trees planted close 
together; they are almost certain to live. 
American Arbor Vibe (Thuja ocddmtalis) 
affords an excellent protective screen in a 
small place; hut upon the prairie where the 
wind blows with terrific violence, the Nor¬ 
way Spruce (Abies ewceUa,) or some one of 
the Abies family will he found hardy, and 
the foliage will not die out at the bottom in 
a few years, thus disfiguring the symmetry 
of the screen, as well as opening a passage 
for winds. Either of the above named vari- 
THE WAHOO. 
This plant, if left to itself, becomes strag¬ 
gling, but it will bear the shears well, and 
vvhen kept in a round, spreading form, its 
rich, broad foliage makes it handsome dur¬ 
ing summer; while its bright red fruit causes 
it to blaze with beauty all through autumn 
and the early winter months. 
The Red Bud, or Judas tree as commonly 
called, when pruned back occasionally, and 
especially while young, makes a small tree, 
growing at times fifteen or twenty feet high, 
ami its branches spreading almost as broad! 
It is beautiful with its bright, pinkish-red 
flowers, profusely spread all along its branch¬ 
es, in mid-spring; while its foliage, of n dark, 
bluish green, fits it well for a background 
tree in a small place. 
The Hop tree is another, growing to about 
the same size as the preceding, but of entire¬ 
ly different character. It is rather an open, 
straggling grower, does not bear the shears 
kindly; nevertheless, it makes a round head, 
Manure for Peach and Pear Trees.—I 
would like to learn which of the following 
materials, lime, ashes, or charcoal, is the best 
fertilizer tor peach and pear trees, and in 
what quantity to apply. I have recently 
planted 4,500 peach, and five hundred pear 
trees, upon poor ridge land, with thin grav¬ 
elly surface, and clay subsoil. By a judicious 
use of fertilizers 1 think the trees will thrive 
well.— J. F. Conover, Olarkftuitte, Tom. 
THE WHITE FRINGE. 
The White Fringe is entirely distinct in 
every particular, from the Purph Fringe. 
In diy soils it is difficult to grow it, but in 
low or damp, heavy soils it, grows rapidly 
and produces a profusion of drooping racemes 
ot snowy white flowers in the month ot June. 
There arc several varieties of it, the Virginiea 
being, perhaps, the best bloomer, while the 
Maratima, (of which our sketch) has the 
fyp which the trees would grow, have so ar- 
j ranged the position and class of trees as to 
fey-w render a distinct view of their house impos- 
egS t0 I> c obtained from any position. Had 
shrubs been used in place of trees, in many 
Rv eases, the error would not be so objectiona- 
O ble; and it is, therefore, toward inducing a 
ffr/ thought upon this matter that I write now, 
as t * ie season of planting is again at hand. 
A correspondent wishes those opposed 
to planting trees were compelled to stand one 
hour in midwinter on the plains of Kansas. 
