Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1871-12-21
Protecting Plants i'm Winter.

The winter protection of plants is of
far more value than most people seem to
suppose, and is especially SO to vines and
such plants rs may be laid along the earth
and covered with soil. Grapes, particu-
larly north of the latitude Of Central ILL
nois, should never be allowed to go
through the winter without covering,
however hardy they may naturally be; and
those who adept IA system of culture and
training that will best facilitate this, will,
one year with another, gather the best re-
turn. Grapes, and indeed, all our
hardy fruits, within the region of the
present years drouth, will probably win
ter safely, and unless injured by untimely
frosts next spring, or receive subsequent
injury from the depredations of insects,
or the various contingencies 10 which
fruit culture Is subject, another full crop
of fruit may confidently be expected. AZ
a rule, our winter-killng is the result of
our peculiar seasons, tropical summers oft
EN- continuing the growth late in the
autumn, and arctic winters freezing them
while vet the plant is filed with unma-
turcd sap. Hence the value of root prun-
ing, under proper restrictions and in Pc
culiar soils, which, by the way, is nearly
rs old as written horticulture itself; and
hence also, the great value of winter COW
cring, wherever practicable OF all the
various plans in good repute, none are of
greater value, nor SO easily attained with
plants that may be laid along the ground,
as simply covering with earth. Where it
is not practicable 10 cover the whole plant,
it may often be saved intact by covering
the tips and stems SO far as the bearing
wood extends but of course ii is better
to cover as thoroughly as possib G, and for
all practical purposes, from four u six
inches of soil are ample. This should DO
! Of as porous nature rs possble--sand,
/ forest mold, and friable loans being best,
and stiff clayey soils the worst of all. In
! fact, no fruits should be planted upon this
! latter soil, unless il is drained TO good
| depth, and in the most thorough manner
/ possible. Neither should fruit.bearing
/ trcss or plants he grown on any soil, how
ever sandy or loamy, if the water ever
stands near the surface; since more losses
have been sustained from want of drain
age than by all other causes whatsoever.
Above all, avoid covering with straw ma
nure, litter or trash of any kind. They
are mere barbors for mice, foul seeds, and
vermin of every kind. In the case of
strawberries alone, such covering Is al
lowable, since the foliage is required to-
be protected in winter, and the mulch is
desirable 10 save the berries from contact
with the ground in the spring. These may
be covered Immediately after the ground
freezes, or just 1T the time it Is freezing,
with about four inches of clean slough
hay. leaves corn-stalks, shavings from the
planning mills, or other material free from
the seeds of weeds. Early in the spring
these may be removed from the crowns
of the plants, and if they have been kept
clean heretofore, but little more will be
required until the fruit Is gathered. In
the case Of vines and the small fruits, they
should be closely watched in the spring,
and the covering removed as soon as they
show signs Of growth; but they should
not be tied up until all danger Of frost is
| over, since they will oftcner escape injury
therefrom, when in contact with the
| earth, than If raised up. Tender running
roses may be protected in the same man
ner, and we have had good success with
herbaceous plants where it was an object
to save the foliage by covering with earth
and removing it carefully in the spring.
We cannot expect success in the finer
branches of horticulture without much
labor, and there is nothing that gives more
satisfaction TO the amateur, than these
children of our care Western RurM.