AUTUMN NEEDS 61 



the plants, as it falls flake by flake and settles 

 evenly. Snow is the winter blanket par excellence s 

 if only it would stay put which it will not do 

 nowadays. Where there are many leaves on plants 

 with soft foliage, however, the snow presses the 

 dead and living so close together that there is rot- 

 ting, which every thaw aggravates. 



As the final operation, cut down all herbaceous 

 stalks and lay them between the plants and over 

 such as will bear the weight. These stalks are a 

 little added protection and they serve to hold down 

 the leaves. Cut the stalks with pruning shears 

 quite close to the ground and be sure that the 

 peonies and hardy chrysanthemums have some of 

 their own ; they are entitled to them. Light brush 

 and small evergreen branches may also be used. 

 With every stalk laid low, the beds and borders 

 will have the neat appearance that is highly desi- 

 rable even if it is not necessary. 



Burn up in autumn any litter not suitable for 

 either garden protection or the compost heap. 

 There is always more or less lying around and there 

 is no time like the present to rake it up and reduce 

 it to ashes which, after a bonfire, ought to be 

 spread over tilled ground or shoveled up and placed 

 around roses and shrubs. Do not burn any fallen 

 leaves; if there are too many for the garden, use a 

 portion of them for the compost heap and put the 

 remainder, sprinkling with water each load when 

 dumped, in a trench to form leaf mold for another 

 year. 



