244 
THE GARDENERS’ AND NATURALISTS’ CALENDAR FOR DECEMBER. 
garden lias been making known to ns, by its own 
expressive forms, principles to guide and direct ns, in 
tbe formation of the beds and the arrangement of the 
colours of the flowers, far beyond anything that the 
best of us have accomplished or conceived of flower- 
gardening. Xo “ coming change ” in the taste of the 
people can affect the principle of massing flowers, 
otherwise than for good, if that taste has been arrived 
at, by discussing the beauties and deformities of objects, 
with an intelligence sufficiently raised above the common 
ideas of art, as to be able to mass into one thought a 
range of qualities, so broad and so universal in their 
nature, as to be applicable to a more aesthetic age than 
this in which we live. The principle of massing 
colours is capable of indefinite exposition, and therefore 
new and beautiful forms may continually be looked for 
from it; but this is not to be expected by planting small 
patches of one plant here, and another patch a little 
larger there, with the brown earth interruptedly staring 
out between them, but by large and small masses, rich 
with fulness, and well contrasted in colour, so as to 
show each bed in all its individuality of character, 
which some people think, and not without good reason, 
will be the case with other things beside flowers, in the 
“good time coming.” In making alterations in the plans 
of existing flower-gardens, or in forming new ones, 
study the forms and features of the place, and then 
adapt your plan accordingly. Look from various points 
of sight, and that more than twice or thrice, for the 
eve will embrace more and more every time it returns 
to any point of sight, until, at last, it rests satisfied 
with a few expressive lines. Whenever the weather 
will permit, open pits and frames as much as possible, to 
change the air in these structures, and harden the plants 
they contain. Damp air is very injurious ; but dry air, 
in the absence of frost, should be allowed to pass 
rapidly through amongst the plants, and it will carry 
away all superabundant moisture. Sometimes a little 
fire heat may be necessary for a like purpose. J. G 
Rose Garden. —Take every favourable opportunity 
that the weather offers to proceed with the planting of 
these shrubs, and be careful to secure eveiy standard, as 
soon as it is planted, from being blown about. This is also 
a good season to ffive assistance to those established in 
beds, or to standards standing singly. Those in beds 
should have the surface of the soil taken off about four 
inches deep, and then the under soil should be gently 
loosened, but not to injure the roots, and the ground 
well saturated with strong manure water. "Where this 
cannot be procured from fermenting dung, a good sub¬ 
stitute, may readily be found in night-soil, which may 
be diluted with five times its bulk of rain or pond water, 
pouring it over the surface, leaving the bed for several 
days to dry again; it may then be filled up with some 
good rich fresh soil, and left till the season arrives. In 
gardens in the vicinity of large towns, where fresh soil 
is difficult to procure, the same soil may be used again, 
with some rotten dung added to it. 
As the season has now arrived that we may daily 
expect frost, the Tea-scented and other tender Loses 
will require attending to. Be in readiness for protect¬ 
ing, where large quantities of such kinds are grown. 
The most expeditious and safe way will be to take them 
up, and lay them in so, that they may be protected by 
rods being bent over, and mats laid on them as occasion 
may require. 1 commence by opening a trench across 
a bed, about five and a half feet wide, and put in the 
plants in a sloping direction, so that their heads are 
within a foot of the ground; from fifteen to thirty 
plants may be put in one trench. I then fill up the 
trench by opening another, and lay in another lot of 
plants in the same way, and continue doing so till all 
are done. I protect, in this way, from eight to fifteen 
hundred every winter, and they grow and flower most 
beautifully the following summer and aut umn . 
I must caution amateurs against being in a hurry 
in cutting back those that were budded last summer, 
and particularly to bear- in mind, that to get a very 
vigorous growth next summer, the buds must be kept 
in as dormant a state as possible during the winter, 
which can only be done by leaving the wild shoots of 
the stocks uncut till the commencement of spring. 
Roses in Pots. —Attend to those intended for forcing, 
and keep them protected from heavy rains or snow; 
and those that are required for early forcing, may be 
pruned, and set in a cold pit with plenty of air. 
Routine. —Proceed with planting, manuring, and 
cleaning, and any other work that may be done now, as 
there is sure to be plenty of work to be done in the 
spring. Get all the stocks for the next year’s budding 
planted as early as convenient, as they generally grow 
better for being planted in autumn. H. M’M. 
Arboretum.—The practice of mulching newly-planted 
trees and shrubs cannot be too much enforced, and it 
may also be very beneficially applied to such as are 
already established, particularly in cases where great 
luxuriance and a quick growth are desirable, or where 
the soil is very poor. Good strong decomposed manure, 
where it can be spared, is best in most cases, but as that 
is not generally to be had, attention must be paid to 
always keeping a good supply of leaves collected every 
season, and thrown into heaps, which should be occa¬ 
sionally turned dining summer, and wheeled out in 
favourable weather at this season. When ground is 
undergoing the process of trenching, previous to plant¬ 
ing, a good supply of such kinds of compost should be 
incorporated with the soil, and care should be taken to 
secure the thorough performance of the operation both 
of trenching and mixing the compost; a little extra out¬ 
lay in this primary stage will be amply repaid by 
increased vigour and luxuriance in after years. In 
preparing beds for Bhododendrons, Azaleas, and other 
American plants, we first trench the natural ground two 
or three feet deep, then apply whatever additional compost 
is necessary, such as sand, peat, decayed leaves, and 
manure, and then turn the whole backwards and for¬ 
wards, so as thoroughly to incorporate the whole. 
The principal operations both in this department 
and the shrubbery, will consist of planting and remov¬ 
ing, until stopped by the frost. For plain practical 
instructions on the mode of conducting many of these 
operations with advantage, the reader is referred to the 
talented articles which have from time to time appeared 
in the pages of this work, bearing on the subject, and 
deserving of the highest consideration. I will now 
proceed to notice a few more desirable shrubs. 
The Berberis family afford some highly desirable 
shrubs for amateurs or small proprietors. They flourish 
best in a light soil. 
The common English Berberry or Berberis vulgaris 
forms a highly ornamental object when trained as a 
standard, and planted singly on the lawn, so much so 
indeed as to excite universal admiration in the autumn. 
When the berries are ripe it has often been compared to 
an enormous Fuchsia. 
Berberis dulcis (Magellan), is also a very beautiful 
shrub, producing a great abundance of deep yellow 
flowers, contrasting admirably with the dense deep 
green of the foliage. 
B. empetrifolia (Magellan), a low-growing shrub; 
flowers freely, and well adapted for rock work. 
Berberis Aquifolium (Xorth America).—Syn., Mahonia 
Aquifolium. This, as well as the three following, are 
very beautiful free-flowering shrubs, and are well 
adapted for planting in front of larger-growing shrubs, 
also for intermixing with Bhododendrons and Azaleas, to 
which they form a very useful adjunct both for contrast 
of foliage and flowers. 
