Round the Year in the Garden 



laborious then if one has learnt how to do it correctly. 

 Those who do their own digging might find it worth 

 while absurd as it seems to take a lesson in this, the 

 most ancient of crafts. There is a right and a wrong 

 way of digging, and the right way is by far the 

 easier. People who do not know how to dig find 

 that the unwonted exertion leaves them with a most 

 uncomfortable aching in the back; those who do, 

 experience only an aching in the wrists. Gardening 

 and golf are my recreations I am more successful in 

 one than another and in their pursuit I am often 

 reminded of similarities. Digging and "driving" have 

 much in common. He who exerts his whole strength 

 in either case will find the result disappointing. With 

 a flick of the wrists at the proper moment the little 

 white ball is dispatched farthest, and the soil most 

 easily. And the precise moment for its execution is, 

 in the case of digging, when the spadeful of soil is 

 about to be put in its place. Don't throw it there, but 

 use your wrists ; it will go quite far enough, and very 

 little exertion is needed. Don't " rush " at it if you 

 have a big plot to dig. Take a lesson from the British 

 workman. Those who have clayey soil to deal with 

 should endeavour to get the planting done as the digging 

 proceeds. This obviates the necessity of treading on the 

 ground again, and, as all know who have heavy land to 

 cultivate, that is above all things to be avoided. 



Rose and Shrub Cuttings. Those who wish to 

 raise an increased stock of certain kinds of Roses 

 should insert cuttings early in October. The cuttings 

 are formed from firm shoots of the current season's 

 growth, preferably those that have flowered. The most 

 suitable length for a cutting is 9 inches, though it is 

 not possible always to ensure this ; the base is prepared 

 by cutting through the stem immediately beneath a 

 joint ; all leaves except the two uppermost ones are 

 removed. Two-thirds of the cutting should be inserted 



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