VOTi. XXXVII. No. 9.) 
WHOLE No. 11W6. I 
NEW YORK CITY, MARCH 2, 1S78. 
PRICE SIX CENTS 
«‘i.50 PER YEAR. 
[Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1878, by the Knral Publishing Company, in the office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington.] 
Ixtmirulttttal, 
OUR PLANT-PORTRAITS. 
THE WEEPING NORWAY SPRUCE-(Abies 
excelsa Inverts.) 
Tuts curious evergreen (of which the accom¬ 
panying sketch ia an exceedingly acourate por¬ 
trait) belongs among the rarer and choicer kinds 
of hardy ornamental trees. It is not an old va¬ 
riety, having been first offered to the trade some 
twenty-five years since. The specimen—about 
five and a half feet high—from which the sketch 
is taken, stands near the house of Mr. S. B. Par¬ 
sons, Flusbiug, L. I., in which spot it has been 
planted some six years, being at tho time of 
planting about eight years old. 
No assistance, in tho way of prun¬ 
ing, has been giveu to it, except 
an amputation performed on the 
leader once or twice, in order to 
encourage bushiness at the base. 
A good stout stake has been em¬ 
ployed to induce an erect growth, 
but only because it had been neg¬ 
lected in this particular during 
early youth. 
The curves of the branches are 
not strictly weeping, as tho term 
ia usually accepted; but after 
drooping down arid hugging the \ 
stem in the most do.crauuod and n&u 
melancholy fashion, contiuno sS«t, 
here and there to burst away and 
turn np with strange vigor and ffc. 
eccentricity. In fact, the name Say W 
Inverta well indicates its pecu- ^ 
liar nature, for inverted it is in f 
every way. This very wayward- ^ 
ness would readily suggest the ^ 
idea of a fountain of green foli- 
age, only that tliero is a certain f j g S&p 
sedateness that could only belong 
to the fountain if suddenly fro- f 
zen. J 
Like the parent Norway Spruce ^ 
in most of its qualities, it trans¬ 
plants easily and is of a very 
hardy and healthy nature,though, 
like all weeping or variegated 
plants, it ia more dwarf and of 
slower growth. It is, therefore, 
specially suited for plauting near 
the house or in cemetery lots, By 
tying lightly to a stake and re¬ 
moving only the tips of branches, 
the effects of pruning need nover 
become very noticeable. It is also 
quit© important that such train¬ 
ing should commence in early 
youth. Later in life, it is liable 
to distort if neglected. It will be 
found, therefore, a great advan¬ 
tage if the plant purchased has 
been treated in this manner. 
Mauy nurseries allow them to _..- 
straggle about in tho row until 
one hardly recognizes tho plant. 
The proper position of this tree 
on the lawn, is in some oonspicn- 
ous place, where its grotesque 
yet graceful form may he fully 
open to view. To accomplish this, 
it should be plauted in an open 
space, or among low, broad ever- 
greens. For the same roaaou, it 
would be especially beautiful, as 
already remarked, occupying the 
position and suggesting the idea jkjE&Jglllftl 
of a fountain in the center of a 
Btaall lawn or grass-plot. Per- 
haps, as a rule, it should always 
be planted singly, although we 
do not doubt that very effective groups might 
be made by combining it with contrasting ever¬ 
greens. The group, however, in this case, must 
be arranged with some knowledge of the nature 
of the individual plants, otherwise there will 
grow np an incongruous mass. This remark 
may be also considered true of any grouping of 
ornamental plants, but it is especially true of 
the Weeping Spruce. 
-■» ♦ ■»- 
WHAT SHALL I PLANT 1 
No. I. 
SAMUEL PARSONS. 
Twenty years of experience have proved to us 
the serious difficulties encountered by those call¬ 
ed upon to answer this question. A large cata¬ 
logue of trees and shrubs, with fall descriptions, 
is presented for inspection; but the space in 
any catalogue is too limited for really satisfac¬ 
tory descriptions; and such problems as, 11 What 
shall I buy to make np groups of flowering shrubs 
or many-colored evergreens are left practi¬ 
cally unanswered. If the lawn be only in the 
first stages of construction, the landscape gar¬ 
dener may be economically employed; but every 
one Interested in plants desires to add to their 
number continually. To assist such, we desire 
to make a few suggestions, and name a few of 
the choicest plants, with Borne of their uses. 
It may be assumed at once that common trees, 
like Norway Spruces, Maples, or White Pines, 
belong to the original frame-work or outline of 
the place, and hardly come within the scope of 
our present remarks. They aro rarely added to 
WXAHir , J.7NGc 8PRUCE.-(From 3LIfo.) 
or changed from year to year, unless the place 
is radically altered or enlarged, and our present 
wish is to call attention specially to such plants 
as give a rich finish and variety to an otherwise 
old and fine place. 
First and foremost we want groups of Rhodo¬ 
dendrons, planted three feet apart and selected 
from the hardiest Catawbiense varieties. These 
must be planted in position somewhat protected 
from the north and northwest, and covered with 
evergreen boughs for at least the first winter. 
Lot the soil be loamy, rich and well drained, and 
especially not raised into a mound above the sur¬ 
rounding surface. You will thus obtain a crown¬ 
ing effect on the lawn, and abundant flowers the 
very first year. 
The Ghent, or Hardy Azaleas, of varied hues— 
rose, crimson, white, and orange—are hardly 
less grand than the Rhododen¬ 
dron, and no less exquisite. They 
may be fringed about Rhododen¬ 
dron beds, or planted in effective 
masses by themselves. Their 
treatment should be much that 
of Rhododendrons, as to soil, &c. 
Of slower growth they may be 
planted from two to two and a 
half feet apart, aud given less 
protection, as they are very hardy, 
and profuse bloomers. 
Splendid masses of color on the 
^ lawn may be formed with Hydran¬ 
gea paniculate, granditlora, the 
great flowers of which appear in 
August — first white, changing 
later in the season to pnrple, 
pink, and dark-red. No lawn can 
afford to spare auy of these ef¬ 
fective groups, as they give the 
choicest bloom throughout the 
summer. 
The proper disposition of va¬ 
rious flowering shrubs—Wiege- 
las, 8pineaa, Ac., — in groups, or 
belts for screening unsightly ob¬ 
jects, so that flowers may appear 
scattered throughout the mass 
during several months of the year, 
is productive of the best results 
in perfecting the details of lawn 
planting. Then, here and there, 
along walks, or on the outskirts 
g. of the lawn, may be planted sin- 
gly such choice flowering shrubs 
as Cercis Japeuiea, Exochorda 
granditlora, Viburnum plicatuxa, 
Maguolias Halleana and oonspic- 
ua, Dwarf Horse-chestnut, and 
Stuartia peutagyna, bo beautiful 
in midsummer. All these are of 
good size, and Baited to piomi- 
neut positions. Neaiev the house, 
also on the edges of walks, such 
flowering shrubs may be employ¬ 
ed as the sweet-scented aud deli- 
pat* Daphne Cneornm, the RLjk 
flora Canadensis, the Hypericums, 
and Flowering Almond, all bloom- 
ing at different seasons. 
— We have thus dwelt briefly on 
if.'/— == the finest flowering plants, aud 
given a few hints as to their 
proper arrangement on the lawn. 
Indeed, all snoh are particularly 
I fitted to add the more delioate 
forms and colors, that amid the 
massive proportions and shades 
of the Oaks, Maples, and Spruces, 
enhance so greatly the charm o$; 
There are yet other pl&Aro well 
suited to increase tkia samp, ef¬ 
fect, concerning which, we may, 
at a future day; hope to offer a 
few p^ttotieal remark's. 
