SUMMER MULCHING 



^HALLOW-ROOTED plants like the 



^ cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis) 

 and the tall, fall-flowering hardy phloxes, 

 dislike the hot sun beating down on their 

 roots. Being surface rooters, and at the 

 same time fond of moisture, they suffer 

 when the surface soil is dried out. They 

 should have a summer mulch to intercept 

 the radiation of moisture from the soil. 



The spent manure I mentioned as fine 

 for covering bulbs, is splendid for this pur- 

 pose and as it is of the same color as the 

 soil, its presence is hardly noticeable; be- 

 sides it adds humus. Almost any open 

 material may be used, that will not offend 

 our ideas of tidiness in appearance. Grass 

 clippings from the lawn-mower may be 

 used. 



Some plants are late in appearing above 



ground in the spring, Platycodons for 

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