404 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
FEB. 42 
THE 
Rural New-Yorker, 
PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY. 
Conducted by 
ELBERT S. CARMAN. 
Address 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
No. 34 Park Row, New York. 
SATURDAY, FEB. 12, 1881. 
The Rural New-Yorker begs to offer 
in articles of its own selection, for the 
longest and heaviest five heads of wheat 
from the next crop, $50.00, to be divided 
into first, second, third, fourth and fifth 
premiums. The awards will be published 
in our Special Wheat Number, and 
drawings presented of the prize heads. 
---♦♦♦- 
Farmers, is there any valid, forcible 
reason why you should plant shrubs and 
trees about your horned; why you should, 
according to your means, seek in this 
way to render them as pleasant—as 
attractive as possible ? If so, what are 
they ? While reading this number of 
the Rural New-Yorker, we ask you to 
give this question due consideration. 
-♦♦♦- 
The Mangel prize-takers will be an¬ 
nounced next week. 
Tt will be remembered that the next 
special Rural New-Yorker will be de¬ 
voted to SMALL FRUITS, We hope to be 
able to present it in three or Jour weeks 
from this date. The next Special there¬ 
after will be the wheat number. 
-♦ ♦♦- 
Our White Pine— Pinus Strobus— 
has the decided advantage over the pop¬ 
ular Balsam Firs, viz., that whereas the 
latter are handsome in youth, growing 
ugly in age ; the former is not handsome 
in youth but it improves as it grows 
older. 
.-- 
Why not plant an occasional dwarf 
fruit tree upon lawns among the orna¬ 
mental trees? The Seokel upon the 
quince stock forms a shapely tree ten or 
twelve feet in bight. It is handsome in 
flower, handsome in fruit, is it not ? The 
app’e upon Paradise stock is also a hand¬ 
some little tree. Are the flowers or fruit 
any objection that they should be ex¬ 
cluded ? 
Among Hardy Vines, we should by no 
means forget the Golden Honeysuckle— 
Lonicera brachypoda aurea. This is 
really one of the finest of all variegated 
plants, as the golden coloring remains 
quite constant through the Summer. It 
may be used as a climber or grown to 
cover old stumps or to spread over the 
ground. 
- 4 4 4 > . - — 
We commend the “ Laurel-leaved” 
Willow to our frieuds as not only a 
handsome tree by itself, but as well 
fitted for wind-breaks or even hedges. 
It will stand a great degree of cold with¬ 
out injury (40® below zero, at least.) 
This willow does not sucker, and we are 
at a loss to know why it is not selected by 
nurserymen as a stock for the Rosmarin- 
ifolia and Kilmarnock. 
- 4 - 4 - 4 *- 
Many farmers, in the kindness of 
their hearts, are full of anxiety for their 
stock, and the out-buildings are conspi¬ 
cuous for their neatness and order. No 
doubt the animals would thank them 
heartily had they reason and could they 
speak. Well, it would be well for such 
farmers to consider that their daughters, 
sons and wives have reason, and that 
they would in good time thank them if 
they would take the same pains to beau¬ 
tify the yards or inclosures about their 
homes. 
■ - 
For a permanent bedding plant, the 
clematis (in variety) may be used with 
great effect. Let the vines run as they 
will—only confining them to the space 
intended. For this purpose, the following 
kinds may be oommended : Jackmanni, 
violet-purple ; Lanuginosa, pale blue; 
Mrs. James Bateman, lavender ; Velun- 
tina purpurea, very dark mulberry; 8o- 
phia, pale blue; Henryi, white. For 
covering arbors, trellises, stumps, pillars, 
there are other hardy vines more desira¬ 
ble for their foliage, but none more de¬ 
sirable for their flowers. 
•-- 
We have never seen a hedge of the 
Ornamental Quince in bloom. If the 
plants constituting the hedge were of dif¬ 
ferent varieties, bearing differently colored 
flowers—white, red, deep-red, chocolate, 
rose—they would present a rare sight 
when in full bloom. The Japan Quince 
is a beautiful shrub anyhow. Its leaves 
are glossy and of firm texture, its flowers 
—borne, too, in abundance,—are bright 
and of a peculiar softness rarely seen in 
other flowers. For groups, for single 
specimens, for hedges, this hardy shrub 
has few superiors. 
We like Yucca filamentosa —Adam's 
Needle or Bear's-Grass—because it is 
different from other forms of hardy veg¬ 
etation ; because its leaves are evergreen ; 
because in July it bears hundreds of 
white, lily-like flowers ; because it will 
grow in almost any situation or soil; 
because it is hardy aud easily propagated 
from seeds or divisions of the root-stocks. 
It is pretty alone, or with other plants of 
any kind. It will grow in moist situa¬ 
tions, as along lake-banks, or it will 
thrive in light, sandy soil. Every garden 
should have this yucca. 
- 4 4-4 - 
People are very apt to judge too early 
of the shrubs or trees they purchase— 
when they first bloom, for instance. 
Usually then they are somewhat disap¬ 
pointed and ready to exclaim, “ It is not 
so fine, after all!” But they should wait 
a few seasons. Most shrubs and trees, if 
attended to, continue to improve through 
several years. To this there axe a few 
exceptions. The Great-panicled Hy¬ 
drangea, so much praised in this number, 
is one. It is never prettier than during 
its first season, if growing in a soil not 
too hot or sandy. 
♦ - 
The seed of many ornamental and 
useful trees ripeu in Spring, and if once 
planted will produce young trees by Fall, 
that will safely pass the Winter. The 
Scarlet Maple, for instance, ripens its 
seed in late May. If planted at once, 
they would grow to a bight of at least 
eighteen inches by Fall. A Silver Maple 
will grow in four years from seed large 
enough to make considerable shade. Such 
seedlings may be raised by anybody, or 
bought of the nurseryman for two dol¬ 
lars per thousand. Still, thousands of 
well-vo-do farmers have no trees either 
for shade, ornament or shelter ! May we 
not hope that this number of the Rural 
may set such people to thinking ? 
- 4-4 4 > 
The Rural’s advice as to evergreen 
trees is to transplant in the Spring as 
soon as the frost is out of the ground, and 
no fear is entertained of a return of 
exceeding cold weather. If we could be 
assured of a wet Spring and early Sum¬ 
mer, probably later plantiug would an¬ 
swer as well. It is very plain that as 
soon as buds start, the plant must receive 
a supply of sap from the roots to make 
good the loss by evaporation from the 
new growth of leaves; otherwise a loss 
of vigor must be sustained. The earlier 
trees and shrubs—be they deciduous or 
evergreen—are planted, the better they 
will be prepared to support the new 
growth and thus fortify themselves 
against early droughts. 
—-♦ ♦ ♦- 
The boots of shrubs and trees dug 
up from the woods or fields, should be 
carefully covered to shield them from the 
sun and wind while they are being carried 
home, and, indeed, until planted. They 
should also be severely out back. The 
only reason why nursery trees are more 
safely transplanted than those from the 
fields and forests, is that a more abund¬ 
ant root growth has been secured by 
transplanting. The old, long, woody 
roots are cut away and a more compact 
growth of fibrous roots is induced. 
A tree in the woods is supported by 
long tap or surface roots, extending far 
away from the stem. These, in trans¬ 
planting, must be sacrificed. The ine¬ 
quality, then, between what remains and 
the stem and branches is great. The lat¬ 
ter must be cut back to create a new equi¬ 
librium. Unless so treated, most forest 
trees will fail after removal. 
-.-♦ ■»■»— - 
We trust that many of our lady read¬ 
ers may be induced to practice grafting 
from a study of the article on page 107, 
which, with original engravings, gives 
every needed instruction upon the sub¬ 
ject/ Let them graft the lilac upon the 
privet—different colored lilacs upon the 
same buBh ; different colored Japan Quin¬ 
ces upon the same bush ; the pear upon 
the quince, making dwarf peais. In 
Summer they may practice budding, 
which is merely a form or variety—so to 
speak—of grafting. The bud is simply 
a little cion planted between the bark 
and the wood. 
Try gratting first, lady friends. 
Should you succeed, as no doubt you 
will if you learn your lesson well before 
you attempt to recite it, tell us if you do 
not take pleasure, if not a little pride, in 
pointing out your success to your parents 
and friends. 
Spruce, their lower branches are pre¬ 
served many years longer than when the 
tree is permitted to grow at will. Our 
Red Cedar, as it grows in the fi rids, soon 
loses its lower branches and with them 
its beauty. Cutting back changes its 
nature. It becomes more dwarf, but 
more spreading and compact, and in this 
way is made a tree well worthy of a place 
in ornamental grounds. 
THE LAWN. 
SOIL FOR TRANSPLANTED SHRUBS 
AND TREES. 
When, eight years ago, we planted the 
Rural Grounds, holes from two to five 
feet in diameter were dug for trees and 
shrubs, according; to their size, and they 
were filled in with muck—fresh-water 
muck—taken from low-lying, springy 
grounds which were afterwards conver ted 
into a lake. The thrift of all of our 
hardy plants is the remark of all who 
visit the place. Azaleas, rhododendrons, 
vines of all kinds, roses, herbaceous 
plants, shrubs and trees of all kinds 
have grown equally well in this soil, and 
we therefore commend its use to all. 
The use of manure, even though well 
rotted, about the roots of plants, is not, 
we think, advisable. WeBhould not treat 
a plant during the first season after its 
removal to stimulating food. It is checked 
and weakened by removal and needs a 
plain diet. 
--« >♦ 
THE SECRET. 
The vigor of the many hardy plants 
at the Rural Grounds has led many a vis¬ 
itor to ask, “Howdo you doit?” The 
answer is easily given. For every plant 
an ample hole was dug. Muck, accumu¬ 
lated from a low, springy valley, which 
was converted into a pretty little lake, 
as Btated above, was used to fill in. Cir¬ 
cles about them ranging; from two to three 
feet in diameter, according to the size of 
the tree or shrub, are kept free from weeds 
and raked often enough to preserve the 
surface smooth and mellow. These circles 
about the plants have been enriched with 
stable manure and slight dressings of 
of raw ground bone twice during Beven 
years. This is the entire secret of our 
success with hundreds of different genera 
of shrubs aud trees, Evergreens are 
treated in the same manner. For the 
latter we have always chosen early Spring 
as the best period of the year for trans¬ 
planting. 
—- ■*■■*-■* - 
CATALOGUES. 
We would respectfully urge it upon 
our readers that they send for the cata¬ 
logues announced in this and future 
numbers of tlie Rural New-Yorker. 
They are iu fact epitomes of all useful 
information appertaining to the farm, 
garden and ornamental grounds. Be¬ 
sides the lists of well-known kinds of 
seeds and plants, as well as those of re¬ 
cent introduction from all parts of the 
world, concise directions for the cultiva¬ 
tion of vegetables and flowers ; for mak¬ 
ing hot-beds and cold-frames ; for sowing 
all kinds of seedB, with an immense 
amount of condensed valuable informa¬ 
tion, are so presented as to render them 
of great value to those who really wish to 
learn and to make the most of their time 
and labor. Before the opening of Spring 
aud the beginning of farm, garden or nur¬ 
sery work, most of our readers may fiud 
ample opportunity to study these cata¬ 
logues, and, by careful comparisons, to 
determine not only what kinds it is best 
to purchase, but where to purchase them. 
If, indeed, no purchases are to be made, 
the catalogues may at least serve to awa¬ 
ken thought and interest, and to assist 
the judgment in a more judicious selec¬ 
tion of seeds or plants for another year. 
CUTTING BACK EVERGREENS. 
“ In a fine garden the first thing that 
should present itself to the sight should 
be an open lawn of grass, which in size 
should be proportionate to the garden. 
The width of it should be considerably 
more than the front of the house.” So 
wrote an English gardener 130 years ago, 
Bays the London Garden, and so, since 
then, have thought aud think the greatest 
of landscape gardeners, “Few scenes,” 
wrote Loudon, “ have a more beautiful 
effect in pleasure grounds than a velvet 
lawn, presenting a surface of uniform 
smoothness and verdure." Iu his excel¬ 
lent instructions “ How to lay out a Gar¬ 
den,” Mr. Kemp writes, “ A Garden will 
always look meager without a good open 
lawn. One broad glade of grass should, 
therefore, stretch from the best windows 
of the house to within a short distance of 
the boundary, with as little interruption 
from walks as possible. The plants and 
groups may be arranged irregularly on 
either side of this opening, and where the 
space will permit there may be smaller 
glades through aud among those at 
varied intervals. ” 
Mr. Scott considers that a smooth, 
closely shaven surface of grass is by far 
the most essential element of beauty on 
the grounds of the suburban or country 
home. Bwelliugs, all the rooms of 
which may be filled with elegant furni¬ 
ture, but with rough, uncarpeted floors, 
are no more incongruous, or in ruder 
taste than shrubs and trees mingled in 
confusion with tall grass and weeds. 
BREVITIES. 
But a few years ago it was considered 
the ruin of an evergreen tree to cut off 
its leader. If by accident it was broken, 
the symmetry of that tree was thought to 
have departed forever. How things 
change ! The beauty of many ever¬ 
greens in their maturity depends upon 
cutting back the terminal shoots orpinoh- 
ing out the terminal buds. Many of our 
readers—possibly all of them—may bo 
ignorant of the fact that the White Pine 
(Pinus Strobus), if treated iu thiH man¬ 
ner from the time it is four feet high un¬ 
til it reaches a flight of ten feet, becomes 
a tree of great beauty, symmetry and 
compactness. The firs, hemlocks, spru¬ 
ces, retiuoeporas, arbor-vities, are all 
greatly improved by being persistently 
cut back while young, and, notably in 
the case of the .Balsam Fir and Norway 
Catalogues of several of our most promin¬ 
ent nurserymen are not yet ready for announce¬ 
ment. 
A Handsome Group. —The Golden Nine- 
bark, tbe Purple Hazel and the Golden Elder 
together. 
To meet with success in transplanting the 
Tulip tree from the woods, plant the roots only 
leaving but an inch or 60 of stem. 
We beg to remark that those who need infor¬ 
mation as to catalogues—where to purchase 
etc.—will fiud it in our advertising columns of 
this issue. 
The young shoots of the Buttonwood Tree 
(Platanns occidental^) are very bard and are 
good for fagots. This tree is easily grown from 
cuttings. 
Probaulv there i6 no belter mixture of seeds 
for a lawn than Red-top aud While Clover, in 
the proportion of three of the former to one of 
the latter. 
It may be well to remember that such shrubs 
as kalmias, boUins, box and our native rho¬ 
dodendrons will do well under the shade of 
other plants. 
Do not prune in the Fall or Spring 6ueh 
hardy plants as lilacs, magnolias, azaleas, etc., 
because the flowers are borne on wood of the 
previous year’s growth. The time to prune 
them is j ust after They bloom. 
If you want your oruumentul trees to grow 
luxuriantly, dig for tbem large holes and fill 
in with rich earth. Then keep about tbe trunk 
a circle from three to five feet in diameter 
free of grass and weeds and the soil mellow. 
A friend of ours has a hedge of consider¬ 
able length of different-colored altheas (Rose 
of Sharon—Hibiscus Syriaeus) on oue side of 
hia lawn, and we know nothing more attrac¬ 
tive or more to be admired in landscape gar¬ 
dening, in our northern climate, than this 
beautiful " old-iashloned ” shrub. 
Forget not the beautiful hardy herb, Bleed¬ 
ing Heart. In early Spring, nothing is finer 
than its bold mass of light-green leaves and its 
long racemes of curious white and rose flowers. 
Botanicalty it is called Dicentraspectabilis. It 
is easily forced into bloom in the Winter. This 
iB a native of North China, while Dicentra 
eximia is a native of the Alleghany Mountains. 
The latter does not grow so tall as the first, 
but its leaves arc as graceful as those of a fern 
and it blooms during the entire Summer. 
The PaUlowhia Confinku to own shoot.— sev¬ 
eral years ago a strong root or the PaUlownla 
impeflalts was planted in the Rural Grounds, in 
the center of a flower bed about. 12 feet In diam¬ 
eter. One shoot alone was permitted to grow. It 
made a growth of eight feet the flrst summer, 
which was cut back nearly to Hie ground. The 
next Spring (1877) the slump budded May 24. As 
before, all the buds but one were rubbed off. On 
June 1st this bud hud grown one foot. Afterwards, 
to ascertain Its rate of growth, It was measured on 
August 5th, and again on August 12th. The 
growth was precisely 13 inches. Sept ember 23, me 
stem had attained a night or 14 feet. The stem 
one root Croat the ground was three Inches In cir¬ 
cumference. The leaves were about Line Inches 
apart aud the largest measured two feet three 
Inches across. All of the leaves weio nearly as 
large, except those at or near the top. They are 
heart-shaped nearly round. The leaf stalks aver¬ 
aged 16 Inches in length and nearly an inch In 
diameter, remaining until rrost quite green. The 
leaves stood many hard wluda without being 
much torn 1 1 tower?d up during t he middle and 
later part of the season above the surrounding 
foliage—a singularly attractive object The an¬ 
nual shoot has since been cut back every spring, 
though It. has not since In any season made so 
tall a growth as in 1S1T. 
