BERLIN, MARYLAND 
45 
Department of Ornamentals 
There is a difference between a “home” and a “house.” The first is surrounded 
by a border of shrubs and_ blooming plants, while the lawn is shaded with mas¬ 
sive maples, or elms, or lindens. The second is only a shelter, whether built of 
wood or marble. Nor do rich interior decorations make up for the lack of ex¬ 
terior attractions. 
The worst “barn” of a place can be changed into an attractive and desirable 
residence, so far as the outward surroundings can make it so. The merely 
expensive home can be changed to a really beautiful place. Bare foundations 
can be covered up with a living green which is as handsome as they were ugly 
before. The hot sun can be used to make greater growth in trees, instead of 
beating in on porches and at windows, and instead of blistering paint. 
Icy winds and hard storms rnay have their force broken by thick evergreens, 
resulting, among other things, in simplification of the heating problem. Drives 
and approaches lined on both sides with Maples, Elms, and Lindens are avenues 
of lasting delight. 
Maples, Arborvitaes, Spruces, Pines, Privet hedges, Roses, shrubs, are so 
easy to plant and care for that no one should ignore his opportunity to make his 
home beautiful and valuable, at small expense. 
So it is with all kinds of trees and shrubs. Each has a use and a place. And 
nine times out of ten the home you wish was yours has been made beautiful 
easily and quickly, with a few shrubs and trees bought and planted at a cost so 
small that it need not be considered. 
It is a well-accepted fact that trees and shrubs greatly increase the value of 
any property, while the comforts and looks are immeasurably increased. The 
majority of men do not need any argument to convince them of this. The idea 
that to have things beautiful and well laid out takes much money, much skill, 
or much trouble and care, is wrong. It is easy, it does not cost much, and every 
owner can tell for himself what trees and shrubs to plant and how to place them, 
unless his place is very large. Then only are the services of a landscape archi¬ 
tect needed. 
Through the whole list of handsome and quick-growing trees and shrubs, we 
have splendid specimens to offer you. They have been grown in good soil, with 
wise care, under the best conditions generally, and by men who understand 
growing deciduous and evergreen trees. The treatment needed for them is 
entirely different in many ways from that required for fruit trees. 
Special attention is directed to our Koster’s Blue Spruce, Hemlock Spruce, 
Blue Cedar, Pyramidal Arborvitae, American Arborvitae, Roses, California Privet, 
Norway and Silver Maples. We can beat the world on Privet, Norway Maples, 
and Berberis Thunhergii. 
Planting Hints. In preparing the ground for the trees, dig at least 2 feet 
deep and 3 feet wide. Thoroughly mix the soil you take out, and then you can 
put about a foot of it back. A recent development is to use a small amount of 
dynamite in preparing the holes. Run a bar down 30 or 40 inches, and explode 
a third, a half, or a whole stick at the bottom of the hole. The charge should 
not throw out the dirt, but heave it. 
Start the trees 10 inches deeper than you want them to set. Sprinkle fine dirt 
in among the roots, and, as you continue to do this, jolt the trees up and down 
so as to settle the dirt in among the fine roots. As the hole fills up keep packing 
the dirt. Use a heavy maul and come now on the dirt with all your weight. 
You cannot get it too tight about the roots. This packing is one of the secrets 
of getting trees to grow. The top inch or two of dirt, however, should be loose 
to conserve moisture. Trees finally should set just about 2 inches deeper than 
they did in the nursery. *■ 
After planting, you may water the trees liberally. We strongly recommend 
that you mulch immediately underneath newly planted trees. Hay, cut straw, 
and buckwheat hulls are good material to use for this. A layer 6 inches thick is 
not too deep. Such a mulch will keep the ground damp all the time, and will 
prevent nearly all evaporation. Unless you use this mulch it will be necessary 
to hoe around the tree every week or so to keep a mulch of dust on the surface 
to conserve the moisture. The after-treatment of both trees and shrubs is 
determined easily by watchful care. 
