24:-2 



GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. 



for mulching must be thin, that the rain may not be pre- 

 vented 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 

 ;i 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 raius will soon wash it off when the season comes 

 in which more light and heat are 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 

 remove. Where a glass is not needed, as for keeping 

 camellias, and other plants, in pots through the summer, 

 a sort of lattice, made by nailing laths upon a light, ob- 

 long 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 dis- 

 tance 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. 



