224 
THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
The Growing and Preparation of Evergreens and Their 
Uses in Landscape Gardening 
Exlracl from paper read by C. L. Seybold at the Chicago Convention 
U NDER this heading, I shall restrict inysell to all 
such conifers as are generally known and grown 
by nurserymen in the zone Iroin the low(;r Middle 
Atlantic States to Canada. 
We know, of course, that all conifers prefer a well- 
drained, loamy soil that is moderately rich, hut most ol 
them prefer a light soil that is open and porous. 
If the more delicate and hall hardy kinds cannot hti 
given such soil, don’t plant them; too iar North and in 
exposed positions we often find comparatively hardy 
kinds unable to winter through, and, on account of tin; 
growing season being shorter, the season’s growth does 
not ripen suHiciently to pull them through. 
All evergreens that are not carefully buria])ped and 
kept moist during the period of transportation generally 
arrive in a damaged condition. However, most of the 
damage is done by careless handling on the part of rail¬ 
road employees. The trials and tribulations ol the nur¬ 
serymen have been very severe durnig the past lew years; 
but better times are coming we hope. 
The general public seems to be afraid to order ever¬ 
greens on account of the large percentage of losses. It 
is true, there are some varieties, especially the Pines, 
Cedars, some Spruces, Cypress and others that are hard 
to transplant in larger sizes, but this difliculty can be 
overcome by giving preference to such stock that has 
been root-pruned in the nurseries. 
I have seen car lots of pines killed by a prolonged trip 
and careless railroad handling. Upon examination, I 
found that the resinous turpentine-like sap had almost 
petrified in the wood which shriveled up and choked 
them; they became a total loss. 
I am sure the sale of evergreens could be doubled by 
inaugurating an educational campaign in their behalf, 
for there is nothing growing in Mother Earth that can sur¬ 
pass them in beauty and stateliness. 
In sp(‘aking of plant value for high class ornamenta¬ 
tion, they are in my opinion in a class by themselves. 
I cannot emphasize too strongly the necessity ol frequent 
transplanting or root pruning of evergreens. 
Every kind of tree, either evergreen or deciduous grow¬ 
ing transplant better while young than they do when 
more mature. 
There are many kinds of smaller coniferous shrubs 
and plants that should be grown in greater (luantities 
some of which have become extremely scarce such as: 
The upright Taxus baccata erecla, T. fastiyiata or 
Florence Court Yew, T. fructer-tutea, a very handsome 
golden fruited, T. camidensis varieyata and the Taxus 
baccata varieyata. 
There are many Thuyas, Biota and I huyopsis of excep¬ 
tional merit. Yuccas, .Tapan Holly Mahonais, and Amer- 
can-grown holly work in well to the front lines of coni¬ 
ferous borders. Hollies should be transplanted in early 
fall with a ball of earth. They will make fresh roots 
befor(! winter and will start out good and strong in 
spring with new fibrous roots. 
The J unipers show many habits, prostrate, upright, 
glolxi, tlwarf compact, white, golden and variegated. They 
are extensively used in rock and Japan gardens and in 
well-drained coniferous borders with the Alpine Forest 
Heath with evergreen perennials and grasses to fill in. 
As to the pioper period of planting, I have, under cer¬ 
tain conditions and very frequently advocated early fall 
planting, a semi-dormant period with excellent results, 
and where ne\v growth has well ripened I have given 
(‘al ly fall jilanting the preference. 
In case of extreme dryness, a thorough watering or 
puddling,—this should not be overlooked. This will start 
the plant at once into renewed root action and will be¬ 
come well-established before winter sets in. When the 
ground is slightly frozen, a mulch of litter, leaf mould, 
evergreen bough, or straw wrappings will protect your 
fine specimens against dry winds and severe cold. 
Heavy irregular coniferous borders are often planted 
very dense for mutual protection, and for immediate ef¬ 
fect, w ith the object in view of thinning them out later. 
Unless such work is done judiciously by a careful plant¬ 
er with the creative idea for permanent effect, the job 
may turn out a failure. Experienced nurserymen and 
landscapers make it a point to keep on hand cross-section 
sketches of previous successful plantings. 
These planting sketches can be used over and over 
again with some slight alterations to suit certain condi¬ 
tions. They should show an artistic intermingling of the 
I)yramidal, pendulous, globe and prostrated forms, as 
well as the glaucous bronze, golden and variegated var¬ 
ieties. The colors must be judiciously balanced with 
green tints greatly predominating. 
The smaller city or suburban home grounds may be 
ornamented in the same manner as the larger places, on 
a smaller scale by using the many kinds of dw^arf and 
other coniferous shrubs and plants. It is always of inter¬ 
est to nurserymen to know^ the evergreens that thrive best 
in city yards. 
Buxus sempervirens used in bordering beds is quite 
hardy when thoroughly established, but it must be pro¬ 
tected from wind and sun for two winter seasons after 
})lantiiig. 
Evergreen privets Ligustrum lucidum and L. Japon- 
icurn thrive well under city conditions. These two, how- 
(wer, are not as hardy as the Box and Euonymus. The 
Am. Holly {Ilex opaca) is more dependable than the 
English Holly. When transplanting these, they should 
be severely pruned; this is generally overlooked. 
Rhododendron beds bordered with Pieris alba flori- 
hunda, known also as Andromeda floribunda should be 
used and grown more extensively. This is a valuable 
