Work for the Month of December 



By Henry Gibson 



The Flower Garden. (Wixter Protectiox.) 



We have reached a period of the year when severe 

 cold may be expected any time, and winter protection 



should be afforded whenever necessary. It is not a good 

 plan to rush this work ahead when the weather is warm 

 or it is likely that any benefit to be derived from giving 

 the plants winter protection may be undone. Generally 

 speaking, it is better to delay putting on any covering 

 until the ground is well frozen. Then the mulching of 

 whatever nature it may be will keep the ground frozen, 

 which is just what is needed. 



Alternate freezings and thawings are bad for any 

 plants, and especially those which have to stand the ex- 

 treme cold of winter. 



Dutch bulbs should not be covered until the ground 

 is well frozen. If covered before, frost will be practically 

 excluded, and the soil thus remaining soft the bulbs have 

 every opportunity of pushing ahead and when the time 

 comes to remove the covering in the spring it will be 

 found that the tulips and hyacinths will have such long 

 and tender growths that even with the greatest care in 

 uncovering many will be broken. 



Hardy Roses. 



Drawing up the soil to the centres of hybrid perpetual 

 roses will be sufficient protection in the meantime, and 

 a heavier mulch of litter may be applied later. In sec- 

 tions where it is extremely cold it may be necessary to 

 wrap the stems in straw in addition to mulching with 

 leaves and soiling up. 



Pansies. 



Where pansies are wintered in cold frames it is an 

 easy matter to carry them through successfully by scatter- 

 ing a light coating of dry leaves over them. But be 

 sure that they are dry; damp leaves soon weigh down 

 the plants and cause decay. As the cold weather advances 

 place sashes over them, taking care to air freely during 

 warm spells. 



To winter successfully outdoors pansies should be 

 planted on well drained ground. Leaves are excellent 

 covering where they can be held in position, but in wind- 

 swept locations this is difficult, and under such circum- 

 stances, straw, salt marsh hay and similar material make 

 the best covering. 



Rhododendrons. 



These are onlv hardy in the colder sections of the 

 country when we'll protected. Often a good wind break 

 of boughs will be found sufficient, and in other cases it 

 may be necessary to put on a heavy mulch of leaves and 

 erect a heavy frame work of evergreen branches above 

 and around the beds. Where evergreen covering is hard 

 to obtain, burlap may be used to advantage, but when 

 this material is used provision should be made for a free 

 circulation of air about the plants or much harm rnay 

 result. Having adequate moisture at the roots is an im- 

 portant factor in the wintering of not only Rhododen- 

 drons, but other evergreens as well. IMore losses during 

 the winter are due to drought than any other cause. 

 Then, again, location has a good deal to do with how 

 they come through. Those well shaded from the morn- 

 ing sun will in all probability come through all right, while 

 the same plants in a southern location would be scorched 

 or killed outright. We all have noticed the brown 



scorched appearance of evergreens above the snow linCr 

 and especially on the south side. This scorching is un- 

 doubtedly caused by dryness at the roots. The heat of 

 the mid-day sun causes a demand for moisture from the 

 leaves, which cannot be supplied owing to the dry frozen 

 condition of the soil. 



Protecting Evergreens from Snow. 



While on the subject of protecting evergreens it may 

 not be out of place to say a word regarding their protec- 

 tion from snow. The disfigurement of evergreens by 

 being weighed down with snow is happily not so common 

 a sight as it used to be. Gardeners are beginning to 

 realize that it is to their advantage to attend to this before 

 heavy snow storms are due. By dislodging the snow the 

 branches of these trees may regain their proper position, 

 but many of us kiiow from experience that this trudging 

 out to dislodge wet, heavy snow, and tie in the branches, 

 is no pleasant task on a stormy day. Nor is it necessary, 

 if proper attention be given this work while the weather 

 is fine and dry. This consists of tying in the branches 

 with string or rope, and occupies but a short time com- 

 pared to what it would take to replace the damage done, 

 were it neglected. 



Moreover, there are evergreens that are not as hardy 

 as others and this tying in would, in a measure, be extra 

 protection from the cold. 



The Greenhouses. 



With the advent of colder weather, and consequently, 

 the increased use of fire heat, it will be necessary to damp 

 the walks in the house frequently to prevent having a dry 

 arid atmosphere. In such an atmosphere our arch enemy, 

 red spider, revels, and once he gets himself established 

 its no mean undertaking to get rid of him. 



The cement paths usually found in private greenhouses 

 are very nice to w-alk on, and neat to look at, but they 

 don't hold moisture as does a path covered with gravel 

 or fine ashes, so keep the hose in use, when you are firing 

 hard. 



In houses where a night temperature of from 65 to 70 

 degrees is maintained it won"t harm a bit to damp down 

 the path, when the fires are being attended to at bedtime. 

 We have done it in a rose house, when firing heavy and 

 the atmosphere felt arid. 



Sweet Peas. 



The plants which were raised from seed last August will 

 bloom this month, and will be benefited by a little feed- 

 ing, but care should be exercised in doing this with the 

 short dark days upon us, or the plants may drop their 

 buds. Cow manure well diluted is safe to use, or a light 

 dressing of fine bone, pulverized sheep or cow manure 

 can be applied. Strong chemical fertilizers at this time 

 of the year should be avoided. A dose of nitrate of soda 

 water and a succession of dark dull days would result in 

 wilting the first day the sun was out. 



Violets. 



The whole of the shading should be cleaned ofif the 

 violet houses, now, if not already done. Violets grow 

 and thrive luxuriantly in the deep shade of the woods 

 when growing naturally, but to obtain the best results 

 when forced during the winter months they should have 

 all the light possible. 



