THE GARDEN 



winter everything of an unsightly nature should 

 be cleared away. Go over the border and cut off 

 old flower-stalks close to the roots they sprang 

 from. Never leave this refuse to be blown 

 about by the winter winds, but make a heap 

 of it and burn it. Gather up the stakes and 

 trellises used as supports for plants in summer 

 and store them away in some sheltered place. 

 If this is done each fall, and a coating of paint 

 is given them each spring, they will do good 

 service for several years, but if left exposed to 

 the weather the year round they will seldom 

 outlast a second season. The same is true of 

 all garden appliances. The wise gardener will 

 never leave his rake or hoe hanging on the 

 fence or a tree-limb over winter, and the spade 

 and trowel in the bed where he used them last. 

 There is a great deal of satisfaction in having 

 good tools to work with, and rusty tools are 

 never good ones. With proper attention they 

 can be kept in fine condition until worn out. 

 Go over them with sand-paper when you store 

 them away, and scour them till they shine. 

 Then give each one a wash of oil to protect it 

 against dampness. When the last of these 

 little jobs is done, and not till then, the work 

 of the season can be considered as ended. 



