1/4 THE HOME ACRE. 



thawing and night freezing. The only safe course 

 is to cover the rows thoroughly, but not heavily, 

 early in December. If then light stable-manure 

 is not at hand, leaves, old bean-vines, or any dry 

 refuse from the garden not containing injurious 

 seeds will answer. Do not employ asparagus-tops, 

 which contain seed. Of course we want this vege- 

 table, but not in the strawberry bed. Like some 

 persons out of their proper sphere, asparagus may 

 easily become a nuisance; and it will dispossess 

 other growths of their rights and places as serenely 

 as a Knight of Labor. The proper balance must 

 be kept in the garden as well as in society; and 

 therefore it is important to cover our plants with 

 something that will not speedily become a usurper. 

 Let it be a settled point, then, that the narrow rows 

 must be covered thoroughly out of sight with some 

 light material which will not rest with smothering 

 weight on the plants or leave among them injurious 

 seeds. Light stable-manure is often objected to 

 for the reason that employing it is like sowing the 

 ground with grass-seed. If the plants had been 

 allowed to grow in matted beds, I would not use 

 this material for a winter covering, unless it had 

 been allowed to heat sufficiently to destroy the 

 grass and clover seed contained in it. I have 

 seen matted beds protected with stable-manure 

 that were fit to mow by June, the plants and 



