34 



THE GARDENER. 



[Jan. 



has not this fault, is represented at fig. CI. This is simply a peg 



inserted at the centre of the circle, the looped end of a line placed 



over it ; the line is then put twice round 

 a peg at the circumference, as shown in 

 our fig., the loose end of the line beiDg 

 grasped and held tight by the left hand, 

 while the peg b is held in the right. By 

 this means a circle can be drawn quite 

 as accurately as with a compass, and of 

 any dimensions — it being only a ques- 

 tion of length of line. If the line is 



placed properly round the peg b, as is shown, the latter has only to 



be turned round to the right or left to increase or diminish the radius ; 



and on this account, when once set to the proper radius, the peg has 



to be held very steady while tracing out the figure. 



Just a few words more about cutting turf edges. In setting pegs 



round curved beds or edges of walks, for this purpose you must con- 



Fig. 61. 



Fig. 62. 



sider which side of the peg your line will occupy. At a a, fig. 62, the 

 line is between the pegs and the walk — or, in other words, your edge 

 is on the outside of the circle. In this case the edging-knife should 

 come close up to each peg, giving it, as near as the eye can guess, the 

 proper sweep between the pegs. On the other hand, when the line 

 is behind the pegs, your edge being inside the circle, as seen at b b, 

 the pegs must be placed a little farther back, so that when cutting 

 the edging the knife will come up to the line half-way between the 

 pegs, giving it the proper curve between these points, which will have 

 the pegs more or less inside the edge. It is sometimes more difficult 

 to cut a straight edge well than to cut round a curve. In doing this 

 many make the mistake of cutting close to the line, and very often 

 displace the line. In the first place, the line should be made very 

 tight; and after making sure that all is right, place your right foot on 

 the line about a yard from the end, and with the edging-knife make 



