22 



Gardening for Amateurs 



of sifted soil along them, and brush it lightly 

 backwards and forwards until the hole is 

 filled up ; repeat if necessary. 



A Remedy for Wormcasts. As else- 

 where in the garden, pests cause trouble 

 on the lawn. Worms are, perhaps, most 

 vexatious, but it should always be remem- 

 bered that the worm is a friend in the garden 

 even though the casts are so unsightly. A 

 dressing of sharp, gritty sand sends them to 

 the lower strata, while kainit has a similar 

 effect. To kill them apply a soaking of 

 lime water after a shower, or, to do the work 

 even more thoroughly, dissolve 1 oz. of 

 corrosive sublimate in 20-30 gallons of water, 

 and apply this ; remember that this mercury 

 compound is highly poisonous, and see that 

 the dead worms are removed immediately 

 after they come to the surface. Proprietary 

 worm-killers can also be obtained, and these 

 must always be employed as directed. 

 Moles occasionally do extensive damage to 

 the lawn ; the best check is a good trap or 

 poisoned bait dropped into their runs here 

 and there (a strong poison consists of worms 

 placed in carbonate of barytes). A simple 

 remedy consists of placing a few pieces of 



calcium carbide in their runs, and covering 

 with soil. The fumes given off drive away 

 the moles. Fungi or toadstools of various 

 kinds may appear, but these are soon checked 

 by adding lawn sand or watering the ground 

 with a solution of sulphate of iron, oz* 

 to the gallon. 



Moss on the Lawn. This destructive 

 growth begins to appear when the soil is 

 damp and sour, and unless active measures 

 are taken early it will soon take the place of 

 grass. The first aim should be to remove 

 the moss, and then to encourage the growth 

 of grass. Sulphate of iron is recognised as 

 a true means of eradicating moss, but if 

 there is much of it, it should first be torn out 

 with a short-toothed iron rake. Apply the 

 sulphate at the rate of | oz. per square yard 

 in early spring, or else dissolve it in water 

 and sprinkle it on in solution, giving that 

 amount to the yard. After this has been 

 done leave the lawn alone for a week, and 

 water it afterwards occasionally with a weak 

 solution of nitrate of soda to encourage 

 growth of the grass. Bonemeal or any of 

 the rich top dressings should also be added. 

 The presence of moss is a sure sign either 



Fiwto: C. a. Clumdter 



A Machine for Gathering Leaves on the Lawn. 



