24 ORNAMENTAL GARDENING 



hence anything which imitates such a condition is good. If one 

 can burn wood, trash, coal or crude oil in suitable vessels 

 among his plants during a comparatively calm night when there 

 is a light frost he may often save his plants, but if there is a high 

 wind or a hard freeze such attempts at protection will do little 

 good. Twice since living here I have seen such severe freezing 

 during a time of high wind that all the leaves on lofty coconut 

 trees were killed, and for more than a month these trees showed 

 no sign of life. Of course smudge pots or any ordinary protec- 

 tion would be worthless at such a time. 



Growers here have resorted to various plans such as putting 

 screens around and over tender plants, some of them permanent 

 and others which are removed in summer. Those which are 

 intended to remain have posts set in the ground with tight, 

 boarded walls and a framework overhead which may be slatted : 

 the top is generally covered with canvas during winter. Some 

 of these are large structures covering several acres. Small frames 

 covered with canvas and temporary tents are often used. Posts 

 are often set in the ground around or partly around plants, 

 slats nailed on and palmetto leaves fastened to the slats. All 

 these protect more or less but none of them will always save 

 tender stuff unless some kind of heating apparatus is used. 



As a general thing in the lower third of the state, shrubs and 

 trees which have attained a height of six or eight feet are not 

 in much danger of being destroyed by frost if the collars can 

 be kept from freezing. It is almost always at this point that the 

 greatest injury is done, because the air just at the ground is 

 usually colder than at any higher point. In many cases I have 

 known trees or shrubs whose limbs and leaves were wholly 

 untouched by frost to die outright from its effects, and when they 

 were afterwards examined it would be found that a short space 

 just at the collar had been frozen so that wood and bark were 

 turned black. Now the one thing to do which will never fail 

 to save one's trees from destruction is to make a mound of earth 

 around their bases as soon as there is any danger of frost in 

 the fall and let it remain until there is no longer any risk from it 

 in spring. This mound should be a foot or more high and it 

 would be better if it could be made when the ground is dry. 



