Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1871-04-01
HortienItmre.
The FIower f.nr,len.

If flowers have been growing in the
ground or many years, new soil does
wonders. Rich manure makes plants grow
but they do not always flower well with
vigorous growth. If new soil cannot be
had, wheelbarrow of manure to about
every so square feet will be enough. 1tthe
garden earth looks grey or yellow, rotten
leaves-quite rotten leaves-will improve
il. If heavy, add sand. Ii very sandy
add salt-about halt pint to 90 square
feet. If very black or rich from previous
pears manurings, use little lime, about
q pint, sakeG, to 90 square feet
Prune shrubs, roses, and vines. Those
which flower from young wood, cut in Sc
verely to make new growth vigorous. Tea,
China, Bourbon, Noisette roses are of this
class. What are called annual Towering
Roses, as Prairie Queen and SO on, requires
lots Of last years wood to make q
good show of flowers, hence, with these,
thin out weak wood, and leave all the
stronger. -t-. l.rHl.
To make handsome, shapely specimens
ofshrubs, cut them now into the forms you
want, and keep them so by pulling out all
shoots that grow stronger than the others
during the summer season. ,.k
Do not transplant extensively till the
ground is warm and the buds are about to
push. Many things die by exposure to
winds for o few weeks before they have
warmth to push roots and leaves into
growth.
The rule for pruning at transplanting is
to cut in proportion to apparent injury to
roots, If not much the verse for removal,
cut but little of the top away. Properly
pruned, good gardener will not have the
worst case of a badly dug tree to die under
his hands. Ina nursery, where these mat
ters are well understood, trees "never die.''
Box edgings lay well now. Make the
ground firm and level, plant deep, with
tops not more than two inches above ground.
Roll the grass well before the softness of
thaw goes away. 1t makes all smooth
and level.
Graft trees or shrubs where changed sorts
are desirable. Any lady can graft. Cleft
grating is the easiest. Split the stock,
cut the scion like wedge, insert it in the
split, so that the bark of the stock and
scion meets; tic little bast bark around
it, and cover with Trowbridge's grating
wax, and all is done very simple when 1t
is understood, and not hard to understand.
'Chrysanthehaams are not Indispensable
for autumn decoration of the flower garden.
Now is the time TO procure supply. They
do well in any rich garden soil that is not
too dry. The Lillipution or Pompone class
ture, but the largo Towering kinds still re.
main the gems of the open ground.
HyacinIbs, tulips, liliums, and other
hardy bulbs set out in the fall, and covered
through the winter, should be occasionally
examined, and when they show signs o.
active growth, must be uncovered in this
latitude this is not safe until towards the
end of the month.
Most things have been pruned, but roses
are always left to ''see what damage the
winter may do" In the summer'' roses
or those which bloom only once in the sea.
son, the rule is to thin out the weak shoots
and leave the stronger ones, merely short
ening their tops. # pruned severely ir
the usual shortening style, they will
not bloom freely. The hybrid perpetua
roses, if wanted for early Towering, should
also be served much in the same way but
as their chief value is as fall flowers, q
severe pruning now produces vigorous
autumn growth, bearing large and luxur
GUS blooms. The Tea, China, Bourbon
and Noisette roses which flower best OF
young wood, should be well cut in.