CHAP. V.] PROTECTING FROM FROST. 



103 



how very slight a covering will often suffice to 

 protect a plant from frost, if the covering be 

 over the top of the plant, even though the sides 

 be exposed ; while, on the contrary, a warm 

 covering in front of the plant will fail to save 

 it, if the top be exposed to the perpendicular 

 frosts. 



Plants in pots may be protected by plun- 

 ging them in the ground, and then covering 

 them with a bast mat, supported by four or 

 eight stakes, driven into the ground to a suffi- 

 cient depth to make them quite firm, and being 

 of a sufficient height above the ground to keep 

 the mat from breaking the branches of the 

 plants, as shown m jig. 20. The mat is kept 



Fro. 20. Mode of protecting plants. 



in its place by bricks being laid on the part 

 which rests on the ground. Protecting the 

 roots and collar is a most important point, and 

 few half-hardy trees and shrubs will be seriously 

 injured, if the ground over their roots is covered 

 a few inches deep with straw or dead leaves. 

 Every lady should have two or three hand- 

 glasses, of different sizes, always at her dis- 

 posal, even during summer, for the convenience 



