MAKING READY 



but it Is merely a pointed stick which you jab into 

 the earth — that is, the husband does — and ro- 

 tates, describing a widening circle with Its handle, 

 while the tip remains fast. This digs a pit In the 

 shape of an Inverted cone, and digs it in two or 

 three seconds, hence the dibble is useful in plant- 

 ing and transplanting and in preparing places 

 for sweet peas, flowering beans, and the like. 

 An old shovel handle, cut off eight or ten Inches 

 below the grip, and sharpened, makes the best 

 dibble. You can have it tipped with iron by 

 the blacksmith. 



Most of the hay-crop In the yard will be gath- 

 ered by the lawn-mower, but you will need the 

 sickle and shears for trimming corners, borders 

 and clumps of grass that spring up about the 

 roots of trees and bushes. If the grass Is suf- 

 fered to grow long it will make troublesome 

 snarls about the cogs and roller of the machine, 

 which will tear It up by the roots, but, what Is 

 worse, your turf will be dry, harsh, stemmy and 

 ragged, unless It is kept down; weeds, too, will 

 gain a hold, sow themselves, and increase. By 

 frequent cutting, the grass Is kept tender, green 

 and thick, because room is made for the young 

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