360 THE FLOEAL WOELD AND GAEDEN GDIDE. 



and much as we regard their beautiful forms and wise adaptation as 

 a link in the great charm of nature, we hail their absence from such 

 classic regions as a boon. One of our poets has immortalized the 

 daisy in these lines — 



" The Eose has but a summer's reign, 

 The Daisy never dies." 



Now it is precisely for these ever-bloomiug and " never" dying quali- 

 ties that we gardeners banish them from our lawns. They may be 

 ranked in the first class of our " forget-me-nots," and every gardener 

 may truly say of them what the poet said of the rosemary, " That's for 

 remembrance." Next in order, as weeds on lawns, come the Dmde- 

 lion and Rib-grass, or plantain ; these are the only ones .which 

 become troublesome when grass is moderately well kept. But what 

 is deficient in quantity is compensated for by the facility with which 

 great quantities are produced from seeds. The practice of neglect- 

 ing the mowing of grass as a point of economy is not to be com- 

 mended, because it gives these pests an opportunity of propagating 

 themselves to an almost incredible extent, not only stocking the 

 grass with their frequency, but also the walks. The task of clean- 

 ing a foul lawn is indeed a serious one, but one which will amply 

 repay, where high keeping is necessary ; and like all other under- 

 takings, it may be accomplished by a little perseverance. When 

 once got under, they may, by a little regular appliance, be easily 

 kept in subjection. The best workman for the purpose is a boy 

 from twelve to fourteen years of age, who need only be thus 

 occupied in dry and suitable weather. The best instrument is the 

 Daisy-digger ; it has a handle like that of a large chisel, into which 

 is fixed a piece of iron, which is bent upwards at the end, and 

 forked thus ^. It is necessary to take out the entire root of these 

 plants, and therefore advantage should be taken to do it after rain, 

 the operator placing the forks under the leaves of the plant, and 

 pressing the handle gently down, the plant is drawn out of the 

 earth, the point of fulcrum being that where it begins to curve. I 

 fear that my remarks may be thought tedious upon this simple 

 subject ; but as " trifles make the sum of human things," it is evident 

 that to do great things well we must not despise little ones. My 

 maxim through life has been — that what is not worth doing well is 

 not worth the attempt. Often have I seen persons on grass 

 delving and pottering with a short weeding knife to extract weeds, 

 when the use of the Daisy-digger would have done double the work 

 in a more efficient manner. 



