i8 



Gardening for Amateurs 



Notes of Interest to Amateurs 



EARTHWORMS in the Lawn. 

 To prevent earthworms doing serious 

 damage to a fine lawn, apply sharp, 

 gritty sand in January or February ; this will 

 send them into the lower strata, where they 

 will do no damage and yet assist the drain- 

 age, aeration, and tilling of the soil. To re- 

 move them entirely, water after a showery 

 day with a strong solution of Abol, with fresh 

 lime water, or with the more efficacious 

 but poisonous corrosive sublimate (1 oz. 

 in 30 gal. of water, applied from a water- 

 ing can). The worms, being then near the 

 surface, will come out of the ground imme- 

 diately. Sweep them off in an hour or 

 two and keep the dead worms back from 

 fowls, especially if the corrosive sublimate 

 has been used. 



Sizes of Pots. In manufacturing flower 

 pots a certain amount of clay, called a 

 " cast," is taken, and the number of pots 

 which are made from this " cast " is the 

 number by which that size of pot is known, 

 i.e. 12's means that the cast is made into 

 twelve pots. As a general rule, a flower 

 pot measures the same in depth as in dia- 

 meter across the top. The usual sizes are 

 as follow : " Thimbles " are 2 inches in 

 diameter across the top and 2 inches deep ; 

 " thumbs " (72's) are 2 inches, sixties (60's) 

 are 3 inches, forty-eights (48's) are 4| 

 inches, thirty-twos (32 's) are 6 inches, 

 twenty-fours (24's) are 8J inches, sixteens 

 (16's) are 9 inches, twelves (12' s) are 11 

 inches, eights (8's) are 12 inches, sixes (6's) 

 are 13 inches, fours (4's) are 15 inches, twos 

 (2's) are 18 inches. In the larger sizes the 

 depth is generally a little less than the top 

 diameter. Pots are wider at top to allow a 

 plant to be removed with the ball of soil 

 round its roots ; again, most of the soil will 

 be Just in that place where the roots are in 

 greatest abundance. When glazed pots are 

 used plants do not require water so often ; 

 the water stagnates readily in them, how- 

 ever, and if the plant has been potted for 

 a long time great care must be observed in 

 watering, or the soil will become sour and 

 acid. Pots can be had where the depth is 



greater than the top diameter. They are 

 generally of foreign manufacture and useful 

 for orchids and bulbs. Shallow seed pans, 

 hanging pots, and pots of ornamental design 

 can also be obtained from horticultural 

 dealers. 



A Pot Propagator for Cuttings. 

 A simple but efficient propagator for cut- 

 tings which are difficult to root, or seeds 

 which are difficult to sprout, may be made 

 as follows. Place a small pot, inverted and 

 filled with moist fibre, inside a large one ; 

 fill in soil until the smaller pot is covered, 

 and then plant the cuttings in two rings or 

 one ring according to size. Place the whole 

 arrangement inside a still larger pot or box, 

 and pack moist fibre loosely round it. A 

 glass can be laid on top. The increased 

 wall area obtained by this propagator and 

 the moisture on the outside of the porous 

 pots serve to draw, or urge the formation 

 of, roots. The moist fibre preserves the cor- 

 rect humidity without the evil effects of 

 too frequent watering, and the most deli- 

 cate and difficult plants can be grown quite 

 easily. 



The Manure Heap. Where farmyard 

 manure has to be stored for a time it should 

 be carefully kept, in order to conserve the 

 rich ingredients and prevent their draining 

 away. The shape of the heap, of course, 

 depends on the amount and the available 

 space ; any shape does, as long as some- 

 thing is placed on top to keep off heavy 

 rains. Stack the manure on the north side 

 of the garden, or at least shaded from too 

 hot sunshine. See that the soil under- 

 neath is tramped or rolled firm, and when 

 building the manure on this, spread it out 

 evenly, mix it well, and beat it down firm. 

 If during the season it appears to get very 

 dry, sprinkle a little water on it to keep it 

 moist. A tub or barrel should be buried 

 near the manure heap, and in such a place 

 that all the liquid flows into it. Every 

 manure heap slowly " sweats " or exudes 

 a brown liquid which is a very rich fertiliser, 

 and should always be saved. When diluted, 

 this liquid can be used freely. 



