North Dakota 
1 
' 
Hees 
1 
é 
a 
ZONE 8 
7 ee oe Om ee me sae ee 
South Dakota 
8 
iT 
i 
5 
‘ 
J 
2 no oe ee eae oe oe oe ae 
4 
1 
ZONE! 
ey) 
1 
4 x 
, Missouri Le 
1 . 
4 
BWM this, Sone Age as_yowe Alinting Guide 
This Zone Map is your guide to plant material best suited to the 
territory in which you live. It is based on a map published in the 
Atlas of American Agriculture, United States Department of 
Agriculture, Washington, D. C. Map was based on average an- 
MOST PLANTS IN THIS CATALOG THRIVE IN ALL AREAS 
All plants listed in this Catalog may be expected to succeed over 
a wide area and with reasonable care. Even those not especially 
recommended for your zone have much to offer in the way of 
gardening adventure. You r ty be able to grow, and enjoy 
plants not generally grown in your area, and this kind of adven- 
ture will require only a little extra care to provide the conditions 
necessary to the plant, but not natural to your garden, such as 
giving the plant a more sheltered location or providing acid soil 
where necessary. (Read Wards Warranty on opposite page.) 
Some shrubs or small trees thrive best when sheltered from 
either hot, dry winds, or from severe cold winds, and are so 
indicated in this catalog by the phrase: ‘’Plant in sheltered 
position.’’ These plants should be used near a building or wind- 
break or where other tall growing shrubs or trees will shelter 
them from hot or cold wind. 
WHAT IS MEANT BY THE TERM '‘HARDY”’ 
“Hardy”’ indicates that a plant will endure the cold in the area 
designated. Perennials may die back to the ground, but the root 
system remains alive to produce new growth each spring. Trees 
and Shrubs are hardy when the entire woody structure remains 
alive through the winter. 
Great caution has been exercised to give you completely accu- 
rate information, but it must be remembered that there may be 
zones in which a particular plant may be successfully grown in 
one area, while in some small neighboring section, the same plant 
will not thrive. It is impossible to cover all varying factors. While 
some plants may be able to endure the cold of a particular zone, 
other elements may determine the success or failure of a plant 
such as prolonged summer heat, hot drying winds, lack of mois- 
ture, soil variations, amount of snow, etc. All may determine the 
-degree of success you may expect to achieve. 
{ 62 WARCS at 
nual minimum temperature for the years 1895 to 1935. Find the 
zone in which you live, then see descriptions for plants suited to 
your particular zone. The statement ’‘Hardy in Zones] to 6,’’ indi- 
cates that plant material is hardy in zones 1 through 6 inclusive. 
WHAT IS MEANT BY ‘’WINTER PROTECTION”’ 
In studying various plant listings in this Catalog you will find 
the phrase: '’Needs winter protection,’’ or, ‘‘Protect in winter 
in severe climates.’’ The winter protection of all plants varies 
with the type of plant as follows: 
Roses, for example, must be given adequate winter protec- 
tion in severe climates. Complete directions will be given in the 
planting guide which is sent with your order, but briefly, it 
means that the soil should be heaped about the plants, after 
the first light freeze, to protect the canes. With this care, beauti- 
ful roses can be grown even in severe climates. 
A MULCH SHOULD PROTECT, NOT SMOTHER PLANTS 
Most Perennials require winter protection north of Zone 6. 
Wherever snow does not provide a continuous winter cover, 
they must be given a mulch consisting of two to four inches of 
clean wheat straw, buckwheat hulls, shredded cornstalks or 
peat moss. Fine-textured mulches such as manure and peat moss 
may be cultivated into the soil the following spring. A covering 
of evergreen or other branches that will catch the snow, shade 
it, and thus keep it from melting too quickly, is also beneficial. 
A mulch should provide a covering, but should not be a heavy, 
airtight matting of leaves or grass clippings which produces 
heat and might smother the plants. 
All mulches should be applied after the ground has frozen the 
first time, to keep the ground frozen and prevent plants from 
being heaved out of the earth by alternate freezing and thaw- 
ing in late fall and early spring. Coarse mulches such as 
branches, cornstalks or hay should be removed early in the 
spring to prevent mold and to permit sun and air to reach the 
new growth. It is best to do this a little at a time over a two or 
three-week period. This allows the tender new shoots to harden 
off and keeps them protected from possible late spring frosts. 
