2 20 The Canadian Horticulturist. 



FLORICULTURAL HINTS. 



The Lawn. — while too frequent mowing is injurious to the lawn, we 

 should not let the grass get so long that the mower won't cut it easily. About 

 once a week is right at this time of the year ; later when the weather gets hot 

 and dry, mowing may be less frequent. When the grass gets too long the mower 

 cuts it irregularly and in streaks, and the work is very hard, better switch it over 

 with the scythe or sickle first, then rake it off before mowing. If wild onions, 

 dandelion blooms, shepherd's purse or other weeds have sprung up too high for 

 the mower to catch, they should be switched off before mowing. Rolling the 

 ground immediately before mowing bends down the long grass and weeds 

 enough, as a rule to enable the mower to catch them and cut them. 



In mowing be always on the lookout for sticks, stones, and other trash on 

 the lawns that might be caught by the machine and gap its knives. Scraps of 

 wire or nails are very bad. Never bump the machine up against the stems of 

 small trees to cut, mar, or bruise the bark ; to prevent workmen of doing this 

 is one of the main reasons why we have a bare ring around the young trees at 

 Dosoris. This circle is kept clean and mulched. In mowing around evergreens 

 be very particular not to nip off the points of any of the ground branches, for it 

 spoils the shape of the trees. 



Lily of the Valley is one of the sweetest and most esteemed of all hardy 

 garden flowers, and happily one of the easiest grown. Plant it anywhere, in 

 sunshine or shade, in cultivated or wild land, and it wjII grow and spread and 

 bear blossoms. But if one will have the very finest lilies — seventeen to twenty- 

 one bells to a spike, a moderately open situation, deep, rich, moistish ground, 

 and an annual topdressing of rotted manure are the price to pay for them, and 

 they are worth it. Plucking the flowers does the plants good. And when the 

 plants become crowded, digging out strips of them to let the others have more 

 room, will benefit them. We use thinnings for forcing in winter. 



Plants in the House. — Although our windows may be emptied of their 

 winter occupants, and the flower stands are stored in the cellar or shed, we like 

 to have a few plants in pots in the house, even in summer. These consist of 

 palms, screw pines, ferns, rubber plants, begonias and the like, that wi I thrive 

 in the shade and not show the evil effects of draughts rapidly. Plants in bloom 

 are seldom used for this purpose, because of the dropping blossoms, for they 

 seldom last more than a few days in good condition away from the window, and 

 we don't want to choke up our windows with plants in summer. The larger 

 plants are set in vases in the hall, and the lesser ones on brackets or on side- 

 boards, and one or two should always be kept handy to place on the dining 

 table. But with cut flowers we may make our rooms as cheerful as we please. 



— American Gardening. 



