The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-04-04
Floral Department.
By CAPT { b. benson.

the summer astu VIII III US XIV -
behind. There is no comfort in what
NAV be called. the gardening Of the
lapgard. When one Is nervously
rushing one piece of work TO another,
and always a little too late to perform
what is required in the best season. II
is the part of wisdom To surrender al
once what cannot be properly kept,
and do we'll that which we resolve 10
retain.
But a little energy will work won
ders and soon MAKE our houses smile
around us.
BOX EDGINGS.
1t is desirable to finish all prepare
tory labor at once. Box edgings may
be set now. To exhibit their quaint
and formal beauty. they should be
planted with care. Use rooted plants
even if very small. they Will do, but
there should be some roots, for cut
tings will die out. and present a patchy
appearance. Set a line tightly. and
plant to the line, spading deep. If
the plants are irregular in size. as they
are apt 10 be, let them all be planted
deep enough for the lower foliage 70
reach the surface of the ground, and
after the earth is pressed hard up To
the plants stretch a line two inches
from the ground which is enough OF
at any required height and trim TO
tba I;,a u-itl SlaarS II uill fhlrl1n
and improve it. Box edgings should
always be kept low. They are not as
fashionable as. III the days Of our grand
mothers. but will always have their
value in regular gardening.
1t is not in good taste to let grass
and box touch each other. When box
is used as a border line. TO enclose
ANIMALS or bedding plants in a bed cut
out of the lawn, let the grass be kept
a foot away from the box. Most
walks are improved BY a coat of gravel
for the spring: harrow the old, before
hauling the new. and roll all well. For
keeping the edges of grass clean, a
neat little implement may now be OBJ
tanned from the hardware stores.
HARDY BORDER PLANTS
Should now be moved. before the hot
suns of early summer. Old stools, as
they are called, of more than two
years, should be broken up, and inn
mediatelv transplanted, with plenty
of rich mould. This great depart
ment of Towering plants is sadly neg
lected, and yet nothing will give more
abundant returns for a little trouble
not only for the present season but for
many wears to come: indeed. a lifetime.
with moderate care.
Perhaps the explanation may be
found in the act that it is not the in
terest of those who sell plants to our
people. to turn their attention to what
is really most valuable for the BUYER.
The papers are filled with seductive
advertisements of geraniums. colcus,
and all the tribe of tender bedding
plants, propagated in a few days IN a
greenhouse, sent in small packages
through the mails by many thousands,
and annually draining the South Of a
vast sum of money. The money spent
for fruit trees is a small matter ON
pared to the great drain for ornarnen-
tai plants. The bedding plants arrive,
let us say, in good condition. are gay
and bright through the summer, but III
the vast majority of cases, die in
winter, and must be replaced next
spring. Then comes the catalogue
and the order Of bedding plants again.
But when the hardy border plants
are used, they form a permanent ad-
dition to ones place, and the purchase
of bedding plants may be happily re-
stricted to a few pets, that can be pre-
served, in a Very modest pit, IN
winter.
But some friend asks, if there is any
beauty in this class Of plants: Indeed.
that Is a question not to be asked a
second time, with the least discrimi-
nation in selecting sorts. Remember
we have a very wide range of choice
III North Carolina and Southwark. i'm
possible in a more Northern climate.
They should be obtained near home.
not only to find varieties suited to US.
but also 70 secure large strong speci-
men plants, too large for the distant
mails. Little cuttings of these things
will simply disgust. There are about
a hundred and thirty species with
perhaps twelve hundred varieties that
are very we'll worth planting, as we
have tested but of course any one cul-
tivator would only desire a few dozen
select sorts. But how much better
than the m~OnOtonous repetition If the