FROZEN" PLANTS. 121 



CHAPTER XXXIX. 



FROZEN PLANTS. 



"When by any mishap the plants, whether in parlor or 

 greenhouse, become frozen, either at once remove them, 

 (taking care not to touch the leaves), to some place warm 

 enough to be just above the point of freezing ; if there 

 are too many to do that, get up the fire as rapidly as 

 possible and raise the temperature. The usual advice is 

 to sprinkle the leaves and shade the plants from the sun. 

 We have never found either remedy of any avail with 

 frozen plants, and the sprinkling is often a serious in- 

 jury if done before the temperature is above the freezing 

 point. In our experience with thousands of frozen plants, 

 we have tried all manner of expedients, and found no 

 better method than to get them out of the freezing at* 

 mosphere as quickly as possible, and we have also found 

 that the damage is in proportion to the succulent condi- 

 tion of the plant, and the intensity of the freezing. Just 

 what degree of cold plants in any given condition can en- 

 dure without injury, we are unable to state. Plants are 

 often frozen so that the leaves hang down, but when 

 thawed out are found to be not at all injured ; at another 

 time the same low temperature acting on the same kind 

 of plants may kill them outright if they happen to be 

 growing more thriftily, and are full of sap. When the 

 frost is penetrating into a greenhouse or room in which 

 plants are kept, and the heating arrangements are inade- 

 quate to keep it out, the best thing to do is to cover the 

 plants with paper, (newspapers), or sheeting ; thus pro- 

 tected, most plants will be enabled to resist four or five 

 degrees of frost ; paper is rather better than sheeting for 

 this purpose. 

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