116 PBAGTIGAL GUIDE TO GARDEN PLANTS 



weeds down. Frequent cutting with the machine will prevent them 

 ■flowering and ripening seed. Where, however, they take a strong hold 

 they may be eradicated by dropping a little vitriol (sulphuric acid) or 

 arsenic down the centre of each with a pointed skewer. The latter should 

 be pushed down into the weeds, as some of them have tap-roots which, 

 unless killed, will throw forth other shoots after the first ones have 

 been destroyed. An intelligent lad can do this work easily, but great 

 care must be taken in using the poison. 



Where the use of poison is feared or disliked, the only safe way to 

 destroy weeds on lawns is to grub them up with an old knife or ' daisy- 

 grubber.' It takes a long time, but if done systematically is very 

 effective. An excellent plan is to strain two white lines about 2 feet 

 apart on the grass and proceed to root up all the weeds between them. 

 In this way the work is done systematically and in such a narrow space 

 there is little chance of overlooking the weeds. When one portion 

 has been cleaned, one line may be taken up and stretched 2 feet from 

 the other on the opposite side, proceeding with the work in the same way. 



Manuring Lawns. — In the coinrse of time the grass will begin to 

 look poor, and lack vigour and freshness in growth, unless it has some 

 plant food put into the soil in some way. Covering the lawn with 

 short well-rotted manure is practically out of the question in most 

 cases, owing to its unsightliness. Liquid manures of cow-dung, guano, 

 sulphate of ammonia &c. may, however, be given at frequent intervals, 

 care being taken that they are pot too strong, otherwise the grass may 

 be ' burnt ' and present a brownish appearance. About 6-8 lbs. of basic 

 slag and 3-4 lbs. of kainit, mixed together, may be used in the autumn 

 or winter months, and will sprinkle over about 40 square yards. About 

 3 or 4 lbs. of superphosphate of lime will also cover the same area and 

 •may be applied, not with the basic slag and kainit, but the following 

 spring. Eape-dust or fine bone-meal at the rate of about 4 lbs. to about 

 40 sq. yds. may also be used. 



Mossy Lawns. — Moss-covered lawns are very unsightly, and some- 

 times very difficult to clean. The moss should be well raked out with 

 a good rake in moist weather during the autumn. The lavra should 

 be gone over in two or three different directions, and although the grass 

 will have the appearance of being torn up by the roots, it will in reality 

 be injured very little. After being well cleared of moss, some fine rich 

 soil and wood ashes may be strewn over the surface, and a Uttle basic 

 slag and kainit, as recommended above, may also be added. The surface 

 is then levelled and lightly rolled. In spring any vacant spot should 

 be sown with grass seed, so as to bring the whole surface into a green 

 state. 



