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This Zone Map is your guide to plant material best suited to the terri- 
tory 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. This zone map was based on average annual 
MOST PLANTS IN THIS CATALOG THRIVE IN ALL AREAS 
All plants listed in this Catalog may be expected to succeed over a 
wide area if given reasonable care. Even those not especially recom- 
mended for your zone have much to offer in the way of gardening 
adventure. You may be able to grow, and enjoy plants not generally 
grown in your area, and this kind of adventure 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. (Be sure to read 
Wards Nursery stock Warranty on Page 64.) 
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 windbreak or where other tall 
growing shrubs or trees will shelter them from hot or cold wind that 
might keep them from attaining fullest beauty. 
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 and increased beauty 
each spring. Trees and Shrubs are considered hardy when the en- 
tire woody structure remains alive through the winter. 
Great caution has been exercised to give you completely accurate 
information, but it must be remembered that there may be zones in 
which a particular plant may be successfully grown in one ared, 
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 moisture, soil variations, 
too great or insufficient acid in the soil, amount of snow, etc. All may 
determine the degree of success you may expect to achieve. 
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minimum temperature for the years 1895 to 1935. Find the zone in 
which you live, then see descriptions for plants suited to your parti- 
cular zone. Let these zone references be your guide to plants that 
will be easiest to grow and will thrive best in your area. 
WHAT IS MEANT BY '/WINTER PROTECTION” 
In studying various plant listings in this Catalog you will tind 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 protection 
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, beautiful roses can be grown 
even in severe climates. You'll be repaid in finer roses. 
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 thawing 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 trom pos- 
sible late spring trosts. Protection will mean more luxuriant growth. 
