180 WINTER PROTECTION OF PLANTS 



removed from the bed, but should be allowed to remain 

 between the rows, and either spaded under or permitted to 

 decay of its own accord on the bed. 



Winter Care of Bulbs and Roots. — The bulbs and the fleshy- 

 rooted plants require a treatment similar to that of the 

 herbaceous plants. The bulb and the fleshy root is a vege- 

 tative part of a plant in a dormant state. A large amount of 

 water is present in both, as well as plenty of plant food for 

 the future use of the growing plant. The secret for their 

 preservation is to prevent them from losing this stored up 

 water, and drying up. 



The fleshy roots of some plants and many of the bulbs are 

 hardy and will not be killed by freezing. For this class of 

 plants greater success will be attained, if they are planted 

 out in the open ground during August and September and 

 allowed to remain out of doors. The depth to which the 

 bulbs and the fleshy-rooted plants should be set varies, and 

 ranges from 4 to 8 inches for the common ones. When 

 freezing weather arrives the beds should be mulched with 

 coarse horse manure. The manure should be removed as 

 soon as the plants begin to grow in the spring. 



The treatment of the fleshy-rooted plants that are not 

 hardy is more exact and is attended with less success. Plants 

 like the canna which have thick, fleshy roots are also filled 

 with water. Such roots will die if they are frozen. It is 

 necessary therefore to dig them up and to store them over 

 winter. These roots must not only be kept in the proper 

 conditions by preventing the loss of water but they must also 

 be stored in a cool place so that no growth will take place. 

 To succeed in the storing of such roots the storage place must 

 not be too damp or the roots will decay, yet it must have 

 sufficient moisture to prevent them from drying out. The 

 varying and the irregular conditions found in the ordinary 

 houses makes it an extremely precarious place to successfully 

 store fleshy-rooted plants. Perhaps the most ideal place for 

 the storage of such plants would be in a cellar that is built 

 underground which could be held at a temperature of about 

 35° F. With this temperature and with good ventilation 

 the moisture conditions will usually be ideal. 



