86 



GARDENING FOE THE SOUTH. 



Plant-Peotectors. — These are made as follows : Cut 

 up a three-fourth inch plank, at least a foot wide, into 

 lengths of twelve or fifteen inches. These are the covers 

 or tops, which are to screen your plants from sun and frost. 

 Raise them above the plants you wish to protect, by nail- 

 ing them at each end to a narrower bit of thick plank, 

 say nine inches in width, and of 

 the same length as the width of 

 the cover, as at a, figure 38. 

 They are also made by tacking 

 together at the edge two pieces 

 of plank a foot square, as at b. 

 They may be braced with strips 

 of lath, where dotted, if desired. 

 When you fear a frost, put these 

 over the hills of beans, cucumbers, etc. It will protect 

 them perfectly. If you wish to transplant your cab- 

 bages, or anything in your flower-garden, do not wait 

 for a " season," but do it any day, just at night, in fresh- 

 dug soil, giving the roots a good watering. Cover them 

 daily with the protectors, 

 taking them off at night, 

 that they may be freshened 

 with the dew. After a 

 couple of days it will be 

 sufficient to stand the pro- 



. . -i Fig. 38.— PLA> T T PROTECTOR. 



tector on edge on the south 8 



side of the plants, to keep off the mid-day sun. In 

 three or four days the roots will be established. They 

 are also of use when the weather is so dry that hills 

 of melons, squashes, etc., will not come up. Water 

 the hills with a fine rose watering-pot, and lay the 

 protector over the hills, and the young seedlings will soon 

 make their appearance. When above ground, take off 

 the protector and let the dew fall upon them at night, and 

 in a day or two dispense with it entirely. They are ex- 



