MULCHING, SHADING, AND WATERING. 141 



nency of moisture is retained, in spite of adverse circum- 

 stances, and without stagnation. In general, the coat of 

 litter for mulching must be thin, that the rain may not be 

 prevented from reaching the roots of plants. 



Many plants, nearly hardy, can be kept through the 

 winter safely by a coat of dry litter over the roots, and 

 especially the crown of the plant, to turn off a portion of 

 the rain and to keep frost from penetrating to their roots. 

 Verbenas, which would perish without this protection, are 

 often kept over safely under a cover of two or three inches 

 of leaves. So of other plants, where the object is to 

 protect the root and crown, but not the foliage. Mulch- 

 ing has the disadvantage of being untidy in appearance, 

 and of affording shelter to insects and mice, and damage 

 also may occur from its being carelessly set on fire from a 

 cigar, or in cleaning up the garden, thus destroying the 

 plants it was intended to protect. 



Shading* In all glass structures during the warmer 

 portion of the year, some provision must be made for 

 shading. This may be done by thin sheeting, but as this 

 is expensive from its rapid decay, it is usual to whitewash 

 the glass externally as often as may be necessary. The 

 autumn rains will soon wash it off when the season conies 

 in which more light and heat is desirable. The lime of 

 the whitewash, however, soon loosens the putty, so that a 

 preparation of thin flour sizing, thickened with a little 

 pipe clay, will be found better, though not as easy to re- 

 move. Where a glass is not needed, as for keeping camel- 

 lias, and other plants, in pots through the summer, a sort 

 of lattice, made by nailing laths upon a light, oblong 

 frame made for the purpose will be found useful. Laths 

 can also be tied together with coarse twine, being separated 

 by one or more knots, as greater or less distance is desired. 

 Mats and old salt and coffee sacks are often used, but 

 they exclude too much light, and are best employed to 

 prevent radiation, and thus keep out frost in winter. 



