s, and saves to the plant that amount of vital force
which it would be obliged to expend upon itself if it were left to take
care of itself. For it is true that even our hardiest plants suffer a
good deal in the fight with cold, though they may not seem to be much
injured by it. Mulch some of them, and leave some of them without a
mulch, and notice the difference between the two when spring comes. If
you do this, I feel sure you will give _all_ of them the mulch-treatment
every season thereafter.

VINES

A home without vines is like a home without children--it lacks the very
thing that ought to be there to make it most delightful and home-like.

A good vine--and we have many such--soon becomes "like one of the
family." Year after year it continues to develop, covering unsightly
places with its beauty of leaf and bloom, and hiding defects that can be
hidden satisfactorily in no other way. All of us have seen houses that
were positively ugly in appearance before vines were planted about them,
that became pleasant and attractive as soon as the vines had a chance to
show what they could do in the way of covering up ugliness.

There are few among our really good vines that will not continue to give
satisfaction for an indefinite period if given a small amount of
attention each season. I can think of none that are not better when ten
or twelve years old than they are two and three years after
planting--healthier, stronger, like a person who has "got his growth"
and arrived at that period when all the elements of manhood are fully
developed. Young vines may be as pleasing as old ones, as far as they
go, but--the objection is that they do not go far enough. The value of a
vine depends largely on size, and size depends largely on age. During
the early stage of a vine's existence it is making promise of future
grace and beauty, and we must give it plenty of time in which to make
that promise good. We must also give such care as will make it not only
possible but easy to fulfil this promise to the fullest extent.

While many vines will live on indefinitely under neglect, they cannot do
themselves justice under such conditions, as any one will find who
plants one and leaves it to look out for itself. But be kind to it, show
it that you care for it and have its welfare at heart, and it will
surprise and delight you with its rapidity of growth, and the beauty it
is capable of imparting to everything with which it comes in