HOUSE AND GARDEN 
October, 
1914 
209 
sorts of hardy decorative shrubs, excepting the evergreens. 
Trees — Flowering and ornamental trees, except such sorts as have 
very thin bark, such as beech and birch ; and those which have 
large, fleshy roots, such as 
the tulip tree and magnolia. 
Perennials — Practically all of 
the hardy herbacaeous peren¬ 
nials, such as are ordinarily 
found in the hardy border. 
Fruit-trees —-All sorts, except 
the stone fruit, peaches, 
plums, etc. 
Small Fruits — All sorts, except 
strawberries; although in 
severe climates they are usu¬ 
ally set out in the spring. 
Bulbs —All the hardy bulbs, 
such as tulips, narcissi, hya¬ 
cinths, hardy lilies, etc. 
Roses— Rugosas, hybrid per- 
petuals and hardy climbers 
may be set out now and in 
moderate locations, even the 
hybrid teas; but practically 
as much time cau be saved 
and more certain results ob¬ 
tained by preparing the bed 
now and waiting until early 
spring for setting the plants. 
Seeds —Such annuals and per¬ 
ennials as are self-sowing un¬ 
der favorable conditions may 
be sown now. Sweet peas, 
sown so late that they will 
not start and covered deep in 
a well-drained situation, will 
come up far ahead of spring 
plantings. 
Before taking up the special 
requirements of these various 
groups it may be just as well to 
emphasize a few of the general 
rules for fall planting. 
To put one of the last things 
first—for the sake of making 
its importance clear—is the 
subject of winter protection. 
The efficiency of this protection 
will determine to a very large 
extent the success of all the fall 
planting operations. The pur¬ 
pose of “winter protection” is 
not to keep plants from freez¬ 
ing, but to keep them frozen ; 
to protect them from the dam¬ 
aging effects of alternate freez¬ 
ing and thawing, and of start¬ 
ing too soon in the spring; and 
to shield them from bright sun¬ 
shine and cold, dry winds. 
Once the gardener realizes this, 
he will not make the mistake of 
putting on his mulching too 
soon, of smothering still-growing plants to protect them from 
freezing, when Nature’s method of treatment is to freeze them 
hard. 
It is equally important that the right kind of material should 
be used for mulching. It should be something that will keep the 
plants and soil thoroughly protected and shaded, while admitting 
air, and not retaining too much 
moisture. Nothing is better 
than dry leaves. Meadow hay 
is particularly good. Thor¬ 
oughly dry, light and strawy 
manure is also good, but fresh 
manure, which may become a 
solid frozen mass about the 
plants, should be avoided. 
Manure which is in the proper 
condition is the easiest mulch 
to apply. It will “stay put,'" 
after a slight beating down 
with the fork, without further 
attention. Meadow hay or 
straw, when once it has become 
settled, will stay in place. 
Leaves, however, should be 
held in place by a low wire bor¬ 
der, a foot in height, run 
around the edge of the bed or 
border which is to be covered. 
Or they may be held in place 
with pine boughs. As a rule 
the winter mulch should never 
be put in place until the ground' 
is frozen hard and continued 
freezing weather may be ex¬ 
pected. One should not, how¬ 
ever, wait until this time to get 
it ready. Gather your material 
and have everything in readi¬ 
ness to put it on when the time 
comes. If leaves are to be 
used, the wire borders should 
be put in place with wooden 
stakes before the ground 
freezes. The depth of the 
mulch required will depend up¬ 
on what it is being used for and 
the severity of the climate, but 
six inches is sufficient under 
average conditions, although in 
the colder Northern States two 
inches or so more than that 
mav be beneficial. 
The first step to take in start¬ 
ing your planting for this fall 
is to go carefully over the lists 
of the various classes of plants 
available for fall planting — and 
there are special catalogues of 
single kinds of plants, such as 
peonies — and make out and 
send in your order. This should 
be done at once. Delay is much 
more likely to have serious re¬ 
sults than is the case with 
spring planting. It may mean 
a difference in results, not of a 
week or a month, but a whole year. 
The second step is the preparation of the soil. Knowing exactly 
what you will have to plant, set about getting everything in readi- 
When trees and shrubs have been set, cut them back fully a third. Cane fruits, 
grapes and roses should be cut back even more severely 
Practically everything planted in the fall needs protection to keep it frozen. 
Dry leaf mulch held in place by wire border is best for small shrubs 
