Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1905-11-30
NECESSARY GARDEN TASKS.
The Plants That Should be Protected
and How Best to Guard Them.

against the Winter COIu anu lIObt
says a writer In the Country Gentle
man. The pleasure of greeting our
familiar garden friends with no va
cant places will repay the trouble OF
making all snug and sure. Much OF
the other fall work in the garden must
be done before the onset OF freezing
weather. October sees the bulb plant.
ing completed, the lifting and storing
Of seeds and dahias, and the gather.
Ing of seeds for next years sowing
Only the muchlng and covering OF
the plants can be left adyantageOusly
until the wood Is well matured and
hardened Let us begin with the
roses, for they require more care
than most other things. Some people
complain that they never have any
luck in wintering tea and polyantha
roses out Of doors. 1t Is not a matter
Of luck, but Of careful selection and
thorough protection, that brings the
rose through our rigorous winters
with the loss Of only an occasional
plant. The rose bed must have the
warmest and best-dralned place at
our command. A sheltered border
along the house, facing the south and
east, will do nicely If not shaded by
trees, or wet with the drip OF the
caves. Coarse, strawy litter from the
stables makes an excellent covering,
taking care to select that which has
been exposed for some time to the
mir. Reject IL II It stcams and seems
hot in handling. Peg the branches
down by driving a forked stick into
the ground alongside. Then heap the
mulch about the roots and loosely over
the whole plant. DO not pack 1t down
tightly, for It may smother the rose
or cause II to mold.
After all arc covered, few ever
green boughs may be laid over the
bed to keep tho covering In place. All
but the tenderest varieties winter
well with this treatment. Clothide
Soupert Gruss au ToplitZ Catherine
Mermet Nine. II. Kruger and Her
mosa are among those have tried
successfully. Frequently In remov
ing the straw In the spring, tho
stems are blackoned and lifeless down
to the SURFACE TO the ground. Little
concern necd be felt about this, If the
plant stands In u woll-drained pace,
and was not weakened by disease or
the attacks Of insects. Cut away the
dead stalks and leave the rest to the
woll,noulished roots and spring sun.
shine.
The hybrid perpetuals should have
good much of manure placed over
tho roots. Whether or not to cover
tho tops IL q mooted question. The
labor of covering 40 or so plants Is
considerable. and tho benefits, except
In very severe seasons, are not always
apparent, OF the Ave varieties of
ramblors on our porches. only one, the
yellow, winterlllls to any extent.
Every spring the strong shoots are
dead ha,f way to the ground, and we
only get little bloom about the base,
A friend who has fine plant saves
II by laying II Hat on the ground, but
this rs no easy task when the shoots
are l6 feet In length,
Pansies we always mean to have
from early spring until frost, but we
get the most enjoyment from plants
started In August. They are just
coming In boom when the November
freozes arrest their growth; by
spreading q thick carpet of leaves
over them and ralttng II off carefully
early in the spring, the halfdevclopcd
buds push ont In an incredibly short
timo. II Obliged to choose between
these aud bed of spring bulbs, we
should prefer the panstes. They rival
the tulips In hrllliancy Of coloring,
remain in bloom longer, and the cost
Is u moro nothing.
The seeding hennials and peren.
malls that were started in the spring
need protection, Some seedsmen ad.
wise sowing seeds of such plants rs
late rs July, Why they recommend
this course, unless II Is to enable
them to dispose Of leftover stock Ia
hard to understand. The seeds in
many cases terminated slowly the
summer droutha retard their growth
after they are IN, and they fail to
mako u strong root growth before
cold weather, If we can give the
small seedlings the protection of &
cold frame, all will be well; but Il
They must winter in the open grount
the chances are that when we lool
tho toNgloyes and Shasta daisies IL
the spring we can count the survivor,
on the fingers of one hand Rattle
SOW the sQeds in May in boxes. or /
this is crowded out In protected
seedhcd in the garden They viii b,
ready for transplanting by July. ant
after that require little attention, ex
copt an occasional wedding and wat
erng. On the approach of col,
weather. cover them with leaves
cornstalks, or any convenient litter
II thoy fail then, we may reflect tina
Il Is really n case Of hard luck. not on