38 ^Making a Bulb Garden 
need earth, of course, to feed them, there- 
fore the bulb itself must be at a con- 
siderable depth, else they will be too near 
the surface. No bulbous plant does as 
well when its roots are shallow and in- 
sufficiently covered with earth. 
Winter protection is always advisable 
although not always essential. Its pur- 
pose with the hardy bulbs is to prevent 
thawing after the real winter freeze has 
come, however, and not to keep the bulbs 
from freezing; therefore it must not be 
put on until the ground is frozen hard. 
Four inches of oak leaves, held in place by 
branches, is an ideal mulch, although 
straw, marsh hay, or any autumn leaves 
will do. Remove this, bit by bit, in early 
spring, taking off the first layer by 
March first, and gradually getting down 
to the bare earth by the first of April. 
This discourages premature starting of 
the shoots and hardens them gradually 
when they do emerge from the ground. 
The commonly accepted time of plant- 
