CHAPTER XXXVIII. 

 GARDEN PROTECTION. 



There are three main lines of protection to which the vegetable 

 grower may find himself compelled to give attention, and he may 

 sometimes be so beset by ills that he will cry in despair that all 

 forces of earth, air and sky are arrayed against his enterprise. For- 

 tunately, however, there is nothing in the situation, usually, to appall 

 one who is energetic and prompt and eager for success, and an effort 

 will be made to suggest expedients and methods which will assist 

 in repelling various destroying agencies. The three classes of in- 

 truders to which attention will be called are these: unfavor- 

 able atmospheric conditions; injurious insects and fungi; injurious 

 animals. 



PROTECTION AGAINST WINDS AND FROST. 



Protection against harsh winds has already been incidentally 

 mentioned from time to time. There are very few places where a 

 good windbreak will not be of decided advantage, and if the gar- 

 den ground cannot be selected so as to enjoy the protection of 

 trees and buildings already in place, special planting or construc- 

 tion should be undertaken. A good shelter belt of trees, preferably 

 of evergreen foliage so placed as to break the cold winds from the 

 direction prevailing in the locality, will be found of immense ad- 

 vantage. Where such protection is not practicable, a high fence, 

 even if not closely boarded, will afford some protection to a much 

 greater width of ground than one might think at first. Fence-like 

 screens made by interweaving bamboo canes or tall reeds (arundo 

 donax) with fence wire, serve well as low windbreaks for small 

 planted areas. These screens can be made in the way described for 

 fencing on page 86 but two or three times as high. 



Protection against frost, effective against a drop of several de- 

 grees below freezing point, is secured by the use of a smoke smudge. 

 Most effective fires are those which yield volumes of steam as well 

 as smoke, so that masses of wet straw or rubbish placed over dry 

 stuff enough to maintain combustion, are the best material. Run- 

 ning or standing water close to the plants or water sprinkled on 

 them will also prevent frost effect, providing the temperature does 

 not sink very far below the freezing point nor remain there too long. 

 Under such conditions, covers of paper or burlap, also serve a good 

 purpose. The largest use of frost covers is that made by the canta- 

 loup growers of the Imperial Valley, as stated on page 210. They 

 take pieces about a foot square of oiled or paraffined paper and 



