380 



Gardening for Amateurs 



Odds and Ends of Interest 



THE Value of a Sunny Border. 

 A border protected from the north 

 and east and having a slight slope 

 to the south is of great value in the 

 kitchen garden, for crops may be gathered 

 there two or three weeks in advance of 

 those in other parts of the garden. 

 Where such a border exists, care should 

 be taken to reserve it solely for spring 

 crops, even though it may lie fallow 

 during autumn. The ground should be 

 worked and manured early in autumn, so 

 that advantage can be taken of favourable 

 weather early in the year to insert the earlier 

 crops. On such a border Peas, Carrots, 

 Potatoes, Radishes, Cabbages, and many 

 other crops can be raised. Ity providing a 

 light trellis over a portion of the ground 

 the crops which suffer most severely from 

 cold may be easily protected at night by the 

 aid of reed or bass mats. 



Care of Tools. All implements used 

 in the garden should be kept in good con- 

 dition and properly cleaned. If not cleaned 

 regularly they become rusty, and a rusty 

 tool, or even one which has not been cleaned, 

 is difficult to work with ; the resultant 

 work is far from satisfactory, and the tool 

 does not last so long. Wash the imple- 

 ments thoroughly, and let them drip dry. 

 Partial washing is almost as bad as leaving 

 them alone. If they are not to be in use for 

 some time, wipe them, after washing, with 

 an oily rag kept for the purpose ; but if in 

 constant use this is not necessary. Edged 

 tools should always be oiled after use, and 

 they ought to be kept sharp and keen. 

 Watering cans are best stored upside 

 down, and they should receive a coat of 

 paint every year unless well enamelled or 

 galvanised. Never leave tools lying about ; 

 store them carefully. 



Tomato Fruits Cracking. Towards the 

 end of autumn greenhouse Tomato fruits 

 frequently crack and become unsightly. 

 The trouble is not due to any insect or 

 fungoid pests, but the latter find ready 

 entrance through the ruptured tissues, and 

 decay is prematurely encouraged. Over- 



feeding is most likely to be the cause, and 

 liquid fertilisers should be withheld for a 

 short time, or, if the soil has been mulched 

 with manure, water must be sparingly given 

 for a few weeks. It is discouraging to have 

 a lot of these cracked fruits, for they do not 

 market readily, and they are not of first- 

 class quality for table use ; use them, how- 

 ever, in any convenient way, for they are quite 

 good ; don't store them, since, as we have 

 already said, various moulds find entrance 

 through the wound, and the destruction of 

 the Tomato greatly hastened. Another cause 

 of cracked fruits is found in a close and 

 moist atmosphere ; Tomatoes delight in dry 

 and airy conditions throughout the season. 



The Value of Lawn Cuttings. When 

 the lawn is cut regularly and often, the fine 

 cuttings should, if possible, be left as cut 

 without any tidying up. Besides the small 

 manurial benefit derived from the decaying 

 grass, it acts as a non-conducting layer, and 

 prevents scorching of the green during sunny 

 weather. Much damage is often done by the 

 sun if the green is not watered, and the busy 

 man will find that quite a small quantity of 

 the fine cuttings keeps the soil nice and moist 

 and prevents that burnt appearance which 

 often disfigures a lawn otherwise perfect. 

 We have also known of cases where the fine 

 cuttings were employed as a summer mulch 

 in soils which were either too dry or which 

 were so clayey that they hardened or " caked " 

 on the top to such an extent that vegetation 

 suffered. A little soot spread at the same 

 time prevents slugs taking up their habitation 

 under the grass. Lawn cuttings may also be 

 used for hotbeds, though not quite so good 

 as horse manure in this respect, and as a green 

 manure for use in summer or early autumn 

 digging they are not to be despised. Placed 

 in the bottom of the manure heap they absorb 

 the rich wash which may otherwise pass 

 away, and so become converted into the 

 best of manure. We have also seen the 

 cuttings spread between rows of Carrots 

 and Onions, and saturated with paraffin 

 emulsion, tar water, or some like substance 

 to keep off the " fly." 



