Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1905-12-06
NECESSARY GARDEN TASKS.
The Plants That Should be Protected
and How Best to Guard Them.

and How Best to Guard Them.
Almost the last work in the gardens
in the fall, before we GbanGrr them,
is the shielding of our tender plants
against the winters cod and frost
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 hitting and storing
of seeds and dahiias, and the gather
ing of seeds for next years sowing
Only the mulchlng and covering of
the plants can be left advantageously
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 Niutering tea and polyantha
roses out of doors. 1t is not 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-drained 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
air. Reject it ii it steams 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 it down
tightly, for it may smother the rose
or cause 1t to mold
After all are covered, a few ever
green boughs may be laid over the
bed to keep the covering in place. All
but the tenderest varieties winter
well with this treatment. Clothilde
Soupsrt, Gruss au TepIitz. Catherine
MerGet, Nine. r. Kruger, and Her. /
noss are among those | have tried
successfully. Frequently in remoy
ing the straw in The spring, the
stems are blaekened and lifeless down
to the surface to the ground. Little /
concern need be felt about this, if the |
plant stands in a welldrained ace |
and was not weakened by disease or
the attacks of insects. Cut away the !
dead stalks and leave the rest to he
well-nourishvd roots and spring sun
shine.
The hybrid perpetuals should have /
a good much of manure placed over
the roots. Whether or not to cover
the tops is a mooted question. The
labor of covering 40 or so plants is
considerable, and the benefits, except
In very severe seasons, are not always
apparent OF the five varieties of /
ramblers on our porches, only one, the
yellow, winter-kills TO any extent.
Every spring the strong shoots are
dead half way to the ground. and we
only get little bloom about the base
A friend who has fine plant saves
it by laying it fat on the ground. but
this is no easy task when the shoots
are Is 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 bloom when the November
freezes arrest their growth; by
a thick carpet of leaves
over them. and raking it off carefully
early in the spring, the half-developed
buds push out in an incredibly short
time. If obliged to choose between
these and bed of spring bulbs, we
should prefer the pansies. They rival
the tulips in brillancy of coloring,
remain in bloom longer. and the cost
is q mere nothing.
The seeding biennials and peren-
malls that were started in the spring
need protection. Some seedsmen adj
wise sowing seeds of such plans as
late as July. Why they recommend
this course, unless 1t Is to enable
them to dispose of leftover stock, Is
hard to understand. The seeds, in
many cases terminated slowly the
summer drouths retard their growth
after they are up, and they fail to
make a strong root growth before
cold weather. If we can give the |
small SEEDLINGS the protection of a ]
cold frame, all win be well but It'll
they must winter in the open ground /
the chances are that when we look I
the foXgioves and Shasta daisies In /
the spring we can count the survivors !
on the fingers of one hand Rather
SOW the seeds in May in boxes, or If |
this is crowded out in a protected |
seedbed in the garden They will be |
ready for TRANSFORMING by July, and |
after that require little attention. ex-
cept an occasional wee Ting and wat |
ering On the approach of cold
weather, cover them with leaves. |
cornstalks. or any convenient litter |
If they fail then. we may reflect that
It is really a case Of hard luck, not one |
of negligence on our part
Value Of Clean Mix.
In its crop report for October. the
last for the season. the Massachusetts
state board of agriculture includes an