202 GARDEN LABOURS WITH PLANTS. 



raking afterwards the teeth of the rake could be made to split 

 the ridges between the furrows and do nothing more, the seed would 

 be perfectly and equally covered ; but owing to various causes, and 

 principally to the unavoidable treading of the soil by the feet of the 

 operator, it is next to impossible to effect this ; and in consequence of 

 more raking being required in the hard and depressed places than in 

 the soft ones, as well to loosen the soil as to raise it to the proper level, 

 the seed there becomes too deeply covered ; and a part being drawn 

 from the places from which the extra covering is taken, the seedling 

 plants rise very irregularly. The best antidote to such evils is to sow 

 all seeds either in narrow beds or drills. 



Rolling is applied to walks to render their surface smooth, firm, and 

 impervious to rain, and it is always most effective when the gravel is moist 

 below and moderately dry above. When dry gravel is laid over the 

 bottom of a walk that is in a very wet or puddled state, rolling should 

 not be attempted till the whole is uniformly saturated, either by rain, 

 which is preferable, or artificially ; otherwise it will long remain un- 

 consolidated. Grass lawns are also rolled to render the surface of the 

 soil smooth and even, for which purpose they are previously raked or 

 swept to destroy such inequalities as are produced by worm casts, or 

 other accumulations that would interfere with the scythe, the uniform 

 pressure of the roller, or the uniform smoothness and colour of the 

 lawn. The general use of mowing-machines has superseded the use of 

 the roller on grass, unless during winter and early spring. 



Screening or lifting soil or gravel is best performed when these 

 materials are dry ; but excepting for sowing seeds, or planting very 

 small or tender plants or cuttings, sifted soil is seldom wanted, it being 

 found that pieces of turf, roots, and stones in soil are useful to plants, 

 as forming vacuities for air, or for accumulations of decaying vegetable 

 matter; or, more especially in the case of freestone, as sources of 

 moisture. 



Other labours on the soil consist in forming and cutting the edges 

 of alleys or earth-walks, beating down, or rolling in seeds that require 

 pressure, such as onions, moulding up celery, &c. &c. 



Garden Labours with Plants. 



Garden labours with plants may be reduced to sowing, cutting, 

 clipping, mowing, and weeding ; all of which may be performed at 

 most seasons, and during moist weather as well as dry. In the first 

 three of these labours, it must be borne in mind that growing trees and 

 large shrubs should not be deprived of their branches when the sap is 

 rising in spring, on account of the loss of the vital fluid which would be 

 sustained at that season ; that wounds can only be healed over when 

 made close to a bud or shoot ; and that the healing process proceeds 

 from the alburnum and cambium, and not from the bark. For the 

 operations of weeding and mowing with the scythe, wet weather is 

 preferable to dry; but the grass cuts best if dry when the mow- 

 ing-machine is employed. Clipping may be performed in wet 

 weather. 



