CHAP. II VILLA GAKDENING 403 



ing the particles of icy wind as they sweep across the garden. 

 Gardening is very much a business of expedients, of making the 

 best and most of things ; and in the matter of shelter a great deal 

 may be done with cheap and simple means. Shelters made of 

 Reeds secured to a thin structure of deal laths, made movable at 

 pleasure from place to place, are very valuable. Evergreen branches 

 of Yew, Laurel, or Box are usefid in early spring for sheltering 

 rows of early Peas or Beans. The Bracken Ferns, cut just before 

 the fronds change colour, when dried are tough and lasting, and 

 excellent for protecting anything which requires it. A few fronds 

 thrust into the head of a Rose, or scattered over its roots, may save 

 its life in a severe winter, and the same course can be adopted with 

 any plant of whose hardiness we are doubtful. On the rockery, 

 plants which may be quite hardy enough to stand a severe winter 

 when it comes in regular order, and continues steady till it departs, 

 may succumb to an alternate freezing and thawing, which is the 

 usual characteristic of om- winters. In this case a sheltering mulch 

 of Cocoa-fibre or dry peat is of much value in protecting the roots 

 from the sudden changes. The dry Fern will be most useful for 

 sheltering the Celery, Cauliilower, and Lettuce, and many other 

 things, during a severe frost. Dry Rushes, which may be cut from 

 marshy ground, are valuable for the same pm'pose, as is also 

 damaged hay or diy litter of any kind. It is best, in sheltering 

 from"" frost anything which is moderately hardy, to let the ground 

 get frozen a little first. As a rule, when a severe frost is coming 

 on there are signs of its apiDroach — a sort of skirmishing frost or two 

 before tlie real enemy comes. When the ground is crumbled over 

 by the first frost, and tlie wave of cold air is in waiting, apply 

 the coverings and make all snug ; and as long as the frost continues, 

 whether it be a long period or a short one, they shoidd remain. 

 Do not be in a hurry to uncover when the frost breaks up ; w^ait 

 a day or two for the warm genial air to penetrate the covering, 

 and raise the temperature round the plants, as sudden changes are 

 bad for vegetable tissues. 



Weeds and Weeding. — Weeds occupy a prominent position in 

 the economy of the garden and farm. Some people think and say 

 that weeds are evil things ; that there is no good in them ; that, 

 in fact, they are the millstone which continually hangs about the 

 cultivator's neck. In the same sense in which dirt has been de- 

 scribed as being only matter in the wrong place, so weeds represent 

 matter converted to a wrong purpose, though they serve a good 

 end in stimulating that industry which keeps the crops up to 

 their work. Archimedes is reported to have said that if he could 

 obtain a fukrum he would invent a lever which shoidd move the 



