FORT MYERS, Fla. - Horticulturist Debbie Hughes is having a busy new year at the Edison-Ford Winter Estates in Fort Myers.

She and a staff of co-workers and volunteers are busy covering and watering plants to protect them from the current cold snap. Especially important is accounting for the young plants, plants in the nursery and varieties which Edison himself cultivated.

"He did a lot of research on plants for rubber," says Hughes, "and a lot of these plants were tropical in their origins and they don't like temperatures in the 30's."

A few tents on the grounds have been erected to cover the susceptible trees. Large trees, like Royal Palms, are having their roots thoroughly watered. Every potted plant, which is in the hundreds, in the nursery is being covered.

"Some of these plants," says Hughes, "you can't find many other places.
"So we put them underneath tables, we cover them with tarps and that's really all you can do."