July, 191 1 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 



16= 



Summer Care of the Lawn 



Milt Fl*rtnce A. Decks, Toroito Ost. 



When the ground for the lawn has 

 been well prepared and thoroughly en- 

 riched — it can scarcely be too rich — and a 

 desirable turf established by seeding or 

 careful sodding, it is advisable to mow 

 it regularly while the grass is short 

 enough to be left lying after it is cut. 

 This gives that soft, velvety appearance 

 and supplies valuable mulch for the soil 

 without taking anything out of it. But 

 the cutting must be done while the grass 

 is quite short, for it is an injury rather 

 than a benefit to leave long grass lying 

 on the turf. Moreover, a brown or sun- 

 burnt spot or a weedy patch calls for 

 immediate attention. 



Of all weeds that infest the lawn, the 

 dandelion excels for persistent and lux- 

 uriant growth. Numbers of blooming 

 dandelions might awaken admiration for 

 the moment, were we unmindful of the 

 millions of beautiful tender blades of 

 grass starved and smothered by them, 

 but the dandelion so greedily absorbs 

 food from the soil and carbonic acid gas 

 from the atmosphere, and spreads its 

 thick mass of leaves over so large an 

 area, depriving the soil of the heat, 

 light, air and moisture, so greatly need- 

 ed by the" grass, that it ought to be 

 eradicated. So, although 

 "The face of nature smiles serenely gay, 

 .And even the motley race of weeds en- 

 hance 

 Her rural charms, yet, let them not be 

 spared ; 



Still as they rise unconquered 



crush them. 

 In wood and field there let them grow 

 Hy haunted streamlet" 



Nothing can be used on the dandelion 

 to kill it, that will not kill the grass also. 

 The only means of exterminating it is 

 to cut it out about an inch or so below 

 the point where the leaves sprout. It 

 is better to do this before the flower 

 matures and the seeds become scattered, 

 for the dandelion multiplies wholly from 

 the seed and blossoms more or less 

 throughout the season. 



The most effective little implement 

 for the purpose is the "Ideal" Dandelion 

 and Weed Extractor, which is much 

 more easily handled than a knife, and can 

 be procured at leading hardware estab- 

 lishments. By the repeated use of it, 

 this most troublesome of all lawn weeds 

 can be effectually overcome. 



The First Prize Lawn and Boulevard, Barrie Horticultural Society's Competition, 1910 



Residence A. Carson. 



pear from that place; or the ants' nest 

 can be destroyed, using tobacco dust in 

 abundance around the roots of the plants 

 to be protected ; or make a hole in the 

 soil near the roots of the plants and put 

 in a little carbon bisulfide and close the 

 hole. The carbon bisulfide fumes will 

 kill the pests, while the tobacco dust will 

 fertilize the plants and also repel the 

 pests. Wood ashes will also repel them, 

 as proven by us in personal experiments 

 for aphids on roots of pear trees. — Prof 

 H. A. Surface. 



Ants on Roots of Asters 



>v'hat can I do to get rid of red ants on 

 the roots of my asters. The ants seem to 

 attack the roots of the asters by means of 

 a white aphis. The aphis sucks the life out 

 cf the plant and the ants live on the aphis? 

 — C. F. 



This aphis or root louse gives forth a 

 sweet secretion or excretion, called honey 

 dew, upon which the ants feed. If the 

 plant lice are killed, the ants will disap- 



The Dahlia and its Care 



J. McPkcrson R*ss, Toraoto, Ont. 



The dahlia is usually a free bloomer, 

 but to have good flowers for exhibition 

 purposes, it is well to thin out all im- 

 mature buds by pinching them off. Only 

 allow perfect flowers to develop. 



For a long time the dahlia has been 

 immune from insect attacks, but of re- 

 cent years an insect preys on the small 

 buds, causing them to wither and dry 

 up and fall off. For one season I had 

 hardly any dahlias, but a liberal sprink- 

 ling of Hellebore quite early in the 

 plant's growth has warded off the pest. 

 I also recommend Kerosene Emulsion — 

 enough to saturate the soil around the 

 stem. This is a good remedy. In very 

 dry weather the red spider is apt to be 

 a nuisance. Liberal syringing of water 

 is the cure for that. 



If your dahlias seem to be at a stand- 

 still, a liberal watering of liquid manure, 

 which can hardly be made too strong, 

 will produce surprising results. 



The dahlia has lately come into new 

 favor by the introduction of the cactus 

 and quilled varieties. The.se are de- 

 cidedly decorative types, useful for bou- 

 quets. The fantastic flowers in rich 



'colors make them especially desirable 

 for home adornment. Every year adds 

 some new variety, so that it is hardly 

 necessary, for me to specify any kinds 

 when all are so good. 



Watch Your Amaryllis 



Th«s. Jackson, M. A. C, Winnipeg 



When the Amaryllis is developing the 

 flower scapes a weak solution of man- 

 ure water or any good fertilizer given 

 occasionally will help to bring out the 

 flowers to perfection, .\fter flowering, 

 the greatest care should be taken of the 

 plants, as it is from that period till the 

 end of the summer that the principal 

 growth is made. I might mention here 

 that the Amaryllis is not like the hya- 

 cinth or narcissus, which after the first 

 year or two have their course and have 

 to be thrown away. With good treat- 

 ment "the Amaryllis will keep for years 

 and flower every year. In fact, you can 

 increase the stock by taking off the 

 young bulbs which grow on the side of 

 the old bulb. The best time to do this 

 is during the resting period, and to get 

 the best results it is advisable not to 

 take them off until they have made some 

 roots, and then pot them off separately 

 in small pots. 



.About the middle or end of Septem- 

 ber the plant will have finished grow- 

 ing, and from that time until about 

 January give them very little water, 

 keep theni on the dry side, for this their 

 resting period, and by doing this the 

 bulbs will flower better the following 

 year. There are a number of varieties 

 to select from, but all of them are beau- 

 tiful. The price is a little higher than 

 for most other bulbs, but they are well 

 worth it. With good treatment they 

 will keep for years, giving great plea- 

 sure to the grower. 



