126 



Gardening for Amateurs 



Birds are kept off by covering the border 

 with a network of black thread, or with 



Protecting a seed bed by netting secured to pieces 

 of board. 



A special kind of protector sold for keeping birds 

 from seedlings. 



A bird scare made with feathers stuck in Potatoes 



Pieces of paper or tin make effective bird scares. 



Another simple way of using black cotton. 



some other suitable " protector," and insecti- 

 cides sprayed over the plants serve to check 

 the ravages of insects. For the 

 latter purpose weathered soot is 

 considered without a rival, and 

 even fine air-slaked lime may be 

 employed ; dust these substances 

 on the foliage when it is damp 

 with dew. Slugs are very trouble- 

 some, and many methods are 

 enumerated for their eradication 

 in the chapter on Pests. 



Protecting Plants. Plants 

 should always be staked tho- 

 roughly to prevent damage by 

 strong winds ; when tying a single 

 stem to any support secure the 

 string firmly to the stake first, 

 then tie it loosely round the 

 plant. Don't adopt the objection- 

 able plan of having the stakes 

 towering above the foliage ; let 

 them be subservient to the 

 plants, and hidden as far as 

 possible. Frosts may be guarded 

 against by coverings of some 

 kind ; insects are kept off by 

 syringing with various solutions, 

 but as a general rule there is no 

 danger at this stage. When the 

 clumps begin to sprout during 

 spring, however, beware of slugs, 

 and in the autumn be prepared 

 for frost. In winter, frost and 

 rain sometimes bring disaster ; 

 mulch the crowns of the more 

 delicate plants with dry soil, 

 straw or peat litter, house cinders, 

 dead foliage from the shrubbery, 

 fine ashes, etc., but never with 

 anything that is naturaUy sodden, 

 like organic manure ; the least 

 hardy should be wintered in a 

 frame or under shelter. 



Protecting Flowers. Mani- 

 fold are the methods by which 

 flowers are protected, and when 

 the season of flower shows is at 

 its height one sees many strange 

 sights in gardens old umbrellas, 

 jelly jars, cans, bell-jars, a won- 

 derful assortment of glass dishes, 

 cloth and paper shades, and even 



