WINTER MULCHING 



WHEN winter approaches, if you de- 

 sire tidiness, cut the tops down 

 (except evergreen-foliaged plants) even 

 if the frost has not already done this 

 work for you, and cover the bed with 

 well-rotted manure, but it is really better 

 to allow the tops to remain all winter, 

 especially in the case of hollow-stemmed 

 plants. Well-decayed manure needs but 

 little going over in the spring, requir- 

 ing only the removal of the foreign 

 material and the straw chaff it may con- 

 tain. What remains is generally the color 

 of the soil, thus unnoticeable and acts as 

 a mulch during the summer. Fresh 

 manure may be used in fact it is better, 

 because the plants receive the benefit of 

 the teachings, which is pretty well spent 

 in old manure. In large grounds there is, 

 however, considerable labor attached to the 



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