Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1903-07-23
CARE OF SHRUBS.
Success With Hydrangea, California
Privet and the Hardy Rose.


writing in Country Life in America
gives some interesting points and ex
periences relating to home propaga
ton OF shrubbery. His father bough
from an agent a fine specimen of the
nydrangea. The second year it was
discovered that the shrub was much
improved By severe pruning. 1t grew
better and the blossoms were much
larger. Then he found out that if the
cuttings were inserted in the ground
any time before the leaves started in
June they would root easily. He
raised a large number of plants in this
way. All of them blossomed the same
season the cuttings were put in, and
the second year they were large
enough to transplant. They were set
In a hedge, five or six feet apart, in
front OF the house. The land was rich
and mellow, and they grew rapidly.
AT present the hedge is or 10 feet
high and presents a grand spectacle
during August and September From
the road, especially in the evening, it
looks like big bank Of snow.
One year Mrs. Sweets father put In
nearly 1000 cuttings, and very few of
them failed to root. He has given
away hundreds OF plants to his neigh
bors, has sold several hundred dollars
worth, and has a thousand or more
fine plants on his place. And yet he
has not followed it as a business. has
not advertised and has done compar-
atively little work at it-a few hours
In the spring and fall putting in cut.
tlngs and transplanting as the shrubs
became crowded. A neighbor has an
acre or so OF choice shrubs which he
raised almost entirely from cuttings
and divisions of plants that have been
picked up here and there. He is a
mechanic and has only an occasional
half-hour to spare for this work. and
yet during the few years that he has
owned this lot he has changed the
barren hillside to a veritabe garden
OF beauty. Mr.. Sweet doubts II. out
side of his work, 1t has cost him more
than $40.
Many of the cottage owners at Mar.
raganset Pier-two miles away-have
hedges OF California Privet set around
their grounds These hedges are
pruned two or three times during the
summer, and the cuttings are usually
thrown beside the road. Occasionally
persons going by have picked them up
and carried them home. At present
there are probably rs or 80 fine hedges
In the vicinity which are the direct re-
suit OF these cuttings. If the owners
had purchased the plants from nurs
cry the hedges would have cost from
Slo to $50 each; as it is, they only
cost a few hours labor Privet cut.
tngs root easily and at any time from
spring to fall.
Or course. not all plants increase
with the same readiness Some must
be propagated by cuttings. some nv
layering. some by grating, and now
and then there is one with which the
amateur is sure to fail. Mr.. Sweet
thinks that with the great majority of
shrubs the beginning will find hut
little difficulty. AS rule. | have
the spring, before the buds have
started. Most hardwood cuttings II
desired. may be prepared during the
winter and placed in the cellar To ha
ready to plant out as soon as the
ground opens Cover the bundles with
thin layer Of soil IL the cuttings are
to remain in the cellar for some time
to prevent drying, Hydrangeas and
some other shrubs can be rooted as
late as June. Willows and California
privet viii root any time during the
summer Cuttings should be from
-FOUR TO six inches in length, and IL
possible should be inserted in a moist
piece of ground. They may be.placed
very close together in the rows and
the rows made just far enough anart
to cultivate easily. At the end of the
hrst year they will be large enough to
transplant.
Another plant that bothered at nrst
was the hardy rose. Cuttings were
tried In the greenhouse and out and
In all seasons OF the year, but met
with Indifferent success. At last cut
tinss were put in an old coldframe
that was partly open to the weather
During the winter the frame was
frequently half filed with snow, but
next spring yielded fine lot of thrifty
young rosebushes, II the cuttings hat
been inserted early in the spring. he
fore the leaves started. Mr.. Swee
thinks they would have done lust a,
well, A good plan would be TO inser
rose cuttings between the rows o
coid'frame cabbage and caulifiowe
plants II would save space, and hotl
would come out in the best of condi
ton for early transplsnting.
Corn cobs in Mixed Feeds.
The Hatch experiment station ha,
Just issued bulletin SIS. on "Concen
trated feeds" The bulletin gives tn,