WEEDS AND MOSS. 85 



CARBOLIC ACID. 1 ounce of carbolic acid to 1 gallon of 

 water, sprinkled from a watering-pot. Also destroys ants. 



COAL-TAR COATING. Mix coal-tar with gravel to the 

 consistency of mortar ; spread over the path 1 to 2 inches 

 thick; cover this with gravel, then roll and add another 

 thin coating of gravel to finish. 



5. Moss on walks and lawns. In damp and shady places, 

 and also in sterile places, moss may appear on walks and 

 lawns. If the conditions cannot be improved, the following 

 treatments may be tried : 



1 pound oil of vitriol (sulphuric acid) to 10 quarts of 

 water. Wet the surface thoroughly, being careful not to 

 sprinkle edgings or good sod. 



In early spring, while the ground is soft, work it back- 

 wards and forwards, with a long-toothed rake, in order to 

 bring the moss to the surface. Clear away the moss and 

 leave the ground untouched for a fortnight. Early in 

 March repeat the operation, and about the middle of that 

 month apply a dressing of rich compost, which may consist 

 of any old rubbish well decomposed, adding ^ of fresh 

 lime. Mix with compost a few days before using. Cover 

 the ground with the compost at the rate of 200 barrow-loads 

 per acre, passing it through a |-inch sieve, to save the 

 trouble of rolling. Rake it evenly over the surface, and 

 when dry seed down. An English method. 



Endeavor to improve the sod, as recommended in Section 

 3, and thereby drive out the moss. In shady places, where 

 grass will not grow, plant some shade-loving plant, as 

 periwinkle (Fmca minor), lily-of-the-valley, or moneywort 

 (Lysimachia nummularia) , or species of carex. 



6. Moss or lichen on trees. Moss on fruit-trees is usually 

 an indication of lack of vigor. Cultivate and prune. Wash 

 the trees with soap or lye washes. Scrape off the bark, ex- 

 ercising care not to expose the " quick," or the tender inner 

 bark. A good scraper is made of a small and much-worn 

 hoe with the handle cut to about two feet long. 



The moss is readily destroyed by Bordeaux mixture. 



