470 



Gardening for Amateurs 



The Lawn Mower 



IN order that it may cut the grass 

 evenly and work easily the lawn mower 

 must be sharp, well oiled, and in good 

 repair, and if this is not the case it should 

 be packed off immediately to a reliable 

 firm to be overhauled. Many of the parts 

 get worn down in time, but they can 

 be replaced at a small cost. The brass 

 bearings, for example, in which the axle 

 of the revolving knives is set soon be- 

 come worn, and require to be renewed ; 

 in most machines these bearings can be 

 screwed up tighter, but sooner or later there 

 comes a time when the knives have too much 

 " play " and jump up and down, denoting 

 that the time for renewal is opportune. 

 These bearings in particular should be kept 

 well oiled and free from dirt. 



The long knife below the machine needs 

 to be sharpened at regular intervals, although 

 the revolving knives seldom require attention 

 in this respect. To sharpen the lower knife 

 it is first of all removed by loosening the 

 screws on either side, then it can be given to 

 an experienced grinder or sharpened by the 

 gardener himself. The revolving knives can 

 be set close to this knife or they may be 

 adjusted at a short distance from it. In- 

 experienced gardeners frequently work the 

 machine with the knife set too low ; in such 

 a case the mower cuts the grass too near 

 the roots, and, besides being bad for the 

 person who works the machine, it is also 

 bad for the lawn and a severe strain on the 

 machine. The screws and nuts that fix the 

 height of this knife are easily seen, and they 

 can be altered to suit the wishes of the 

 gardener, causing the machine to cut the 

 grass short or to leave it moderately long ; 

 care should be taken to adjust it to the 



same height on each side so that the grass 

 may be cut evenly. 



Care of the Machine. The lawn mower 

 is a delicate mechanism, and the greater the 

 care bestowed upon it the longer will it remain 

 efficient. Keep the works clean, in the first 

 place, and never let the machine be put 

 away wet and covered with mud or fine grass. 

 Oil the working parts frequently, using a 

 little often rather than giving a heavy oiling 

 at long intervals ; if any is spilled over the 

 machine wipe it away before the mower is 

 used. Adjust the machine very carefully ; 

 first see that the parts are all firm and in 

 working order, then screw up the revolving 

 knives or cutters so that they just touch the 

 horizontal knife. The adjustment for long 

 or short grass can then be made by raising 

 or lowering the arm connecting the front 

 rollers, and the machine is ready for use. 



In dry summer weather it is generally 

 sufficient to brush all dust and fine mowings 

 from the machine before it is put away, but 

 if the mower has become wet it should be 

 syringed with hot water immediately after- 

 wards, so as to remove the dirt and grass as 

 well as to ensure its speedy drying. At the 

 end of the season wash it thoroughly with 

 hot water and soda, then with hot water 

 alone, and after it has dried thoroughly rub 

 it over with oil. 



Size of the Machine. Machines are sold 

 according to the width which they can cut 

 at a time. For a small garden the smallest 

 size is quite satisfactory (about 10 inches) ; 

 the next size, a 12-inch one, is best where the 

 mower is much used ; a 14-inch machine 

 needs more power than one man can give, 

 unless it be for short periods, and the 16-inch 

 mower is too much for one person. 



Mignonette. This fragrant annual is a 

 general favourite, but it is not always so 

 well grown as it might be. The cause of this 

 is generally thick sowing and half-hearted 

 thinning. If the plants were thinned to 1 foot 

 apart each way, instead of 3 or 4 inches, as 



is often the case, the result would be far more 

 satisfactory. Sow always where the plants 

 are to remain, and make the soil as hard as 

 an Onion bed. Mignonette likes lime in the 

 soil, and this may be applied in the form of 

 old mortar rubbish. 



