Acer are hardy deciduous trees, and this family features many well-known ornamental trees such as the common syca¬ more and the various maples, including the japanese kinds with finely divided up and brilliantly coloured leaves.
In terms of creating these lovely trees the bigger maples and syca¬ more will thrive in any ordinary garden soil and may not require special cure. Regular pruning is not essential, but some thinning or perhaps regulation of growth may be required in the case of young trees to pre¬ serve their symmetry. This 's best done in February. The highly coloured plus cut-leaved Japanese maples are rather tender and should therefore be given some sunny but sheltered area. Moreover, they do best in a deep, well-worked soil, for preference of a light loamy character, because they do not thrive in wet freezing clays. These also need a few regulation and thinning on the young growth the more so as they are usually planted as small specimens in prominent positions. Pruning should be as light as possible which is best done in Feb. All kinds of Acer may be planted whenever they want from the end connected with October till early Next month, but care should be studied to establish the Japanese kinds when soil is in diligently good working con¬ dition.
All species can be increased by means of seeds, which should be sown within a sheltered border outdoors or within the cold frame as soon as possible after they are ready. The "wings" should be broken on the seeds before sowing. Sometimes germination is slow, in which case the seeds should be exposed to frost in their next season to hasten decay in their hard coats. The varie¬ ties, however, will not breed true in this way and must be propagated by budding or grafting through to seedlings of the type from where they have originated.
The Achillea are hardy herbaceous perennials in addition to rock plants, and they may be roughly divided into not one but two sections. First the larger species best option for planting in your herbaceous border or within a reserved bed for decreasing, and secondly the dwarf forms most at. home in the rock garden or within the dry wall.
Typical examples of the first type are actually Achillea eupatorium, Achillea millefolium Cerise Queen, and Achillea ptaimica. Good rock achilleas are Achillea. ageratifolia, Achillea tomentosa, and Achillea. clavenns.
The herbaceous achilleas will grow in any ordinary garden soil that has been well dug and will not require special cultural treatment. Indeed, they are amongst the easiest and hardest regarding herbaceous per¬ ennials. The long white plant's roots of Achillea ptarmica should be spread out flatly any time planting and covered with the help of about 2 in. of soil. It is advisable for taking the plants up every single second or third year and divide the property to prevent overcrowding. The steel garden species should all of be planted in well-drained and also rather sandy soil, as they are inclined to rot off during the winter months in rich or large ground.
The simplest means of increase is by split at planting time, but there can be little doubt that the most effective results are obtained by simply rooting cuttings of new growth in March, April, or May in very sandy soil in a cold frame. Plants grown in this way are more vigorous and also healthy than those lifted from divisions. Seeds of the species may also be sown during March in light soil in the cold frame.
