MONTHLY CALENDAR OF OPERATIONS. 245 



of the roots, or if the soil is light, it may be thrown over them if 

 leaves are not convenient ; cabbages so packed will keep until 

 March, if the covering has not leen put on too early. Whenever 

 it is practicable, all empty ground should be dug or plowed this 

 month, trenching or subsoiling whenever time will permit. All 

 such operations when performed in the fall, not only benefit the 

 soil, but greatly facilitate work at the hurried season in the spring. 

 The cold frames where cabbage, lettuce, or cauliflower plants have 

 been planted will now require regular ventilation by lifting up the 

 sashes in warm days, and on the approach of very cold weather, 

 straw mats or shutters would be a great protection to the plants ; 

 for the cauliflower this protection is absolutely necessary here. 



DECEMBER. 



Greenhouse and Flower-Garden. — We are now fairly into 

 winter, and close attention must be given to protecting all 

 tender plants. It is one of the commonest complaints, especially 

 from ladies, that their plants " looked so nice until one cold night 

 in December " defeated the whole care of the year by killing or 

 wounding hundreds of the cherished favorites of the greenhouse 

 or window garden. There is no rule but vigilance, and as extra 

 strong fires will be kept up, look out again nightly for all combus- 

 tible matter near the flue or chimney. If you find the thermom- 

 eter in the greenhouse or parlor where your plants are kept, falling 

 down to 34 or 35 degrees, the chances are that there will be frost 

 in the house ; the best protection in such cases is either to set the 

 plants under the benches or on the walk if in the greenhouse, or 

 move them from the cold point if in the parlor; if the plants 

 are low and uniform in hight, covering them with paper or 

 sheeting will usually save them from injury even if the thermom- 

 eter falls to 26 or 28 degrees. Another plan is to dash water on 

 the pipes or flue in the greenhouse on cold nights, the steam arises 

 to the glass, freezes there, and stops up all crevices. All mulching, 

 strawing up, or other modes of protecting against frost in use in 

 the flower-garden, must be finished this month. 



Fruit-Garden— Grape-vines, raspberries, etc., in sections where 

 protection from severe frost is of advantage, should be attended 

 to this month, by laying them down as near the ground as possi- 

 ble, and covering them with rough litter or leaves, or with a few 

 inches of soil. 



Vegetable Garden.— The final covering of celery in trenches, 



