During the Dormant Period. 125 



methods may be employed uj)on young trees — especially 

 nursery trees, which are very liable to make late growth. 

 Early gathering of the fruit from trees of late varieties 

 also tends to hasten wood maturity. 



202. Protection with Non-Conducting Materials prevents 

 damage from cold in many herbaceous and shrubby 

 plants in climates where they are not fully hardy. By 

 covering such plants with straw or other litter, or with 

 soil, \\& lessen to some extent the intensity of the cold, 

 but — more important — we prevent frequent freezing 

 and thawing (190 d), and in a measure, the heaving of 

 the ground, which on heavy or wet soil is destructive to 

 the roots of plants. A covering of straw, leaves or other 

 litter is preferable for \o\\, hei'baceous plants, as straw- 

 berries. Tlie covering should not exceed an inch or two 

 in thickness, otherwise the plants may be smothered in 

 warm winter weather. For taller plants, as the grape 

 and raspljerry, the soil is usually the most convenient 

 and satisfactory covering, as a litter covering tends to 

 attract mice, that often injure woody stems. To assist 

 in bending down the stems, a little earth is usually re- 

 moved at the base on the side toward which they are to 

 be bent. Shrubs too large for bending down may be in- 

 closed in straw or similar material. 



303. A Northerly Exposure is generally Least Trying to 

 Plants in winter, because it is least subject to fluctuations 

 in temi^erature. The influence of the sun is here less 

 perceptible and snow remains longer than upon other 

 exposures. The summit of a hill is usually less trying 

 than a valley, because the cold air tends to seek the lower 

 places, especially in still weather (210). 



