Garden Work in December 
ALLEE OF SCARLET OAKS PLANTED APRIL, I906, ON GROUNDS OF 
JOHN T. MORRIS, ESQ., CHESTNUT HILL, PHILADELPHIA 
growth they will make the first 
year. This planting is consid¬ 
ered a very successful one, and 
in a few years will form a 
very pretty feature. They are 
planted close, so that their 
branches will interlace and 
form what in France is called 
an allee. 
While on the subject of 
trees, a few notes in relation 
to their care will not be out of 
place. The loss of many a fine 
patriarch of the forest might 
have been prevented by a little 
timely attention. It is a fortu¬ 
nate tree that lives a century, 
and is not broken by storms 
or injured in some way that 
leads to premature decay. A 
branch is broken, leaving a 
spur or stub sticking out of 
the trunk, which, unless cut 
off close to the trunk so that 
the bark can grow over it, is 
likely to decay right down into 
the heart of the tree. The same kind of stubs are 
often left by ignorant primers, or perhaps a more 
suitable name would be “tree butchers,” with like 
effect. 
Cavities should be cleaned out, removing all the 
decayed wood and rubbish, and if they have a 
tendency to collect moisture they should be drained 
with auger holes, then filled up with broken bricks 
and cement. Treated in this manner, it is often 
possible to make the bark grow over good sized 
cavities. 
After a snow-storm it is always advisable to take 
a trip around to the different evergreens to see that 
the snow is not breaking them down or pulling 
them out of shape. Where there is danger of this 
it should be shaken off. Leave the snow on low 
growing kinds, that it will not break, as it is a good 
protection from the cold. 
Thought, this month, usually centres around the 
holidays and Christmas decorations come in for 
attention. Flowers are always welcome, but they 
are usually so scarce at this time of year that we 
must fall back on the old-time evergreens. After 
all, they do seem more appropriate and in keeping 
with the old order of things. The dark green 
holly with its red berries is inseparable from Christ¬ 
mas-tide. We have not yet fully realized the deco¬ 
rative qualities of the English ivy. There ' are 
many forms not very much known that are ex¬ 
tremely pretty and adaptable to house decoration. 
The demand for plants in pots for Christmas 
increases yearly. Large quantities of berried Eng¬ 
lish hollies and other fancy evergreens are imported 
to supply the demands. As a rule they are not 
suitable for house culture, and after they have 
served the purpose of Christmas decoration they 
should be removed from the warm, dry living-room 
to a temperature of 45 to 50 degrees, so as to keep 
them in as good condition as possible until they 
can be planted out in the spring. Even though 
the plants are hardy, as in the case of the English 
holly, the fact that they have been kept in a high 
temperature has unfitted them to be set out of 
doors until the weather gets warm in the spring. 
Anything with berries on is acceptable at this time. 
The charming Ardisia crenulata and the well-known 
Jerusalem cherries are fine house plants. Then 
there is the brilliant poinsettia, with its scarlet 
bracts, cyclamen, the begonia Gloire de Lorraine, and 
azaleas and primulas that are among the best that 
can be brought into flower at this time. In regard 
to the care of these plants after they have Seen 
brought into the house, it should he remembered 
that they have been more or less forced into bloom 
out of their season, so are correspondingly sensitive 
to cold and neglect. Do not stand them too near 
radiators or subject them to cold draughts. Water 
them with tepid water as often as they require it, 
the aim being to keep the soil constantly moist 
without being soggy. 
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