0)6 TENANTS OF AN OLD FARM. 



" Very good. I will answer b^- lir.sl asking Bond a 

 question : "What is tlie use of the straw^ coverings 

 wiiich you were wrapping around the rose-bushes this 

 morning ?" 



''Why, sir," replied Hugh, smiling at such an 

 apparently simple question, " that's plain enough. It 

 saves the bushes from the frost." 



"But surely the frost gets through the straw at 

 last, and the bushes must be quite as cold during 

 winter as tJic outside atmosphere ?" 



'"Y-a-a-s," Hugli returned; "but then the straw 

 kind o' tempers it, too. You see, the cold w^orks in 

 gradual like, and allows the plant to git used to it. 

 Besides that, I've been told that the l)ushcs ' sweat ' 

 jist like animals, and the heavy straw swathing keeps 

 in that nateral warmth. Still, 1 don't know 'bout that. 

 I reckon the rabl)its has somethin' to do with the busi- 

 ness, too ; leastways, I take pretty good care to wrap 

 the lower parts a leetle closter. But, to tell the truth, 

 sir, I never thought much about the why and wherefore. 

 I puts a coat on the tender bushes pretty much as I 

 puts one on myself" 



" Well, Hugh, you have given a good enough starting 

 point for my answer. Tlie cocoons, like the straw 

 wraps, teniper the rapid changes in the atmosphere. 

 A long, steady winter seems to be less destructive to 

 the inclosed jiupa than a very changeable one of a lower 

 average temperature. Hence the value, in a change- 

 able climate, of such wraps as help to graduate the 

 weather variations. Here now is this Cecropia cocoon. 



