56o 



Old and worn lawns and greens may be renovated by top dress- 

 ing with a finely sifted mixture of wood ashes and burnt earth sown 

 broadcast or sprinkled on by hand, or Bat-Guano may be used in the 

 same manner. The latter is a very powerful and quick-acting manure 

 on grass lands and one I would recommend whenever procurable. Bare 

 patches should be cut out in squares to a depth of z" m 3" and returfed, 

 after adding sufficient new soil to bring the turf up to the surround- 

 ing level. After these operations the lawns should have a rest for a 

 week or two and if careful attention is given to cutting and rolling 

 the sward will be almost as good as new by the end of that time. 



In most cases, worms would be regarded as useful creatures. 

 They renew the surface soil with finely divided earth brought up 

 from the subsoil, and by means of their burrows allow free access of 

 air to greater depths than would otherwise be reached. They also 

 promote more rapid decay of vegetable matter in the soil- But on 

 the other hand they may be considered a nuisance on lawns or greens 

 owing to the great number of " casts " they leave on the surface. 



Many mixtures for killing worms in lawns are on the market at 

 home but are not easily obtainable in this country. These are gene- 

 rally in concentrated liquid form and are diluted and watered into the 

 soil. The liquid causes the worms to come to the surface and die 

 when they are easily swept up and removed. 



The following mixture is cheap and effective and the ingredients 

 are easily obtainable here : — 



Dissolve h oz. of Corrosive sublimate in 15 gallons of water and 

 apply it over the lawn. This will bring the worms to the surface 

 when they can be swept up. Fowls should not be allowed to eat the 

 worm or they will be poisoned. Another simple remedy is to mix a 

 peck of freshly-made quick-lime in 40 gallons water, allowing it to 

 stand until clear, and then apply the clear liquid from a rose water- 

 ing-pot. This also will bring many of the worms to the surface. 

 Still another remedy worth knowing is a weak solution of Carbonate 

 of ammonia applied in a similar way. 



T. W. MAIN. 



GOMPHOCARPUS SEMILUNATUS 



(A FIBRE PLANT FROM AFRICA) 



Gomphocarpus or Asclepias semilunatus is a tall 

 slender herb occurring from the Cape to the Zambesi, 

 in Uganda, the Congo and Abyssinia. It produces an 

 exceptionally fine fibre from the stalk after the 

 manner of jute. 



