6o FLOWER GARDENING 



bination is maple leaves, which fall early and soon 

 curl up, and the apple and pear leaves, which drop 

 to the ground late and keep firm all winter. Or, 

 for shrubs, vines, roses and any large plants, the 

 leaves may be left by the side of them in a pile 

 or windrow and spread over the ground thickly 

 after it has frozen. 



With perennials the point to be borne in mind 

 is that the majority of them endure the cold well 

 enough; many of them, if left quite unprotected 

 artificially, provided the cold is continuous. What 

 they really need is to have the ground so covered 

 that the danger of alternate thawing and freezing 

 is minimized. So make sure, first of all, that the 

 plants which remain above ground have protec- 

 tion around them especially those that have dis- 

 tinct crowns ; creeping plants protect themselves in 

 a measure. 



Put only a thin scattering of leaves on the crowns 

 of plants with soft foliage that is more or less 

 evergreen; manure will rot foxgloves, Canterbury 

 bells, primulas and hollyhocks. Very light stalks 

 may then be laid on to keep the leaves from blow- 

 ing away. When such plants seem to need greater 

 protection use more leaves and then with slats, rest- 

 ing on something just high enough to be clear of 

 the plants, and cornstalks, or weighted straw, make 

 a roof over them, closing it in on the north side. 

 This roof prevents the snow from bearing down 

 too heavily, and allows air circulation. 



The weight of the snow itself would not harm 



