60 FLOWER GARDENING 
bination is maple leaves, which fall early and soon 
curl up, and the apple and pear leaves, which drop 
to the ground late and keep firm all winter. Or, 
for shrubs, vines, roses and any large plants, the 
leaves may be left by the side of them in a pile 
or windrow and spread over the ground thickly 
after it has frozen. 
With perennials the point to be borne in mind 
is that the majority of them endure the cold well 
enough; many of them, if left quite unprotected 
artificially, provided the cold is continuous. What 
they really need is to have the ground so covered 
that the danger of alternate thawing and freezing 
is minimized. So make sure, first of all, that the 
plants which remain above ground have protec- 
tion around them—especially those that have dis- 
tinct crowns; creeping plants protect themselves in 
a measure. 
Put only a thin scattering of leaves on the crowns 
of plants with soft foliage that is more or less 
evergreen; manure will rot foxgloves, Canterbury 
bells, primulas and hollyhocks. Very light stalks 
may then be laid on to keep the leaves from blow- 
ing away. When such plants seem to need greater 
protection use more leaves and then with slats, rest- 
ing on something just high enough to be clear of 
the plants, and cornstalks, or weighted straw, make 
a roof over them, closing it in on the north side. 
This roof prevents the snow from bearing down 
too heavily, and allows air circulation. 
The weight of the snow itself would not harm 
