COMMONPLACE NOTES. 



189 



have made a very good lawn, but if they are once permitted to get into a 

 bad condition it is almost impossible to do anything with them. We 

 advise cutting the grasses with a scythe at once (this was in July), and 

 the lawn well raked and mown and rolled in autumn, and bare patches 

 being sown with fresh seed. This and a dressing of artificial manure in 

 the spring, together with earlier and regular mowing, at least once a week, 

 will no doubt ensure better results. Rye Grass is the quickest variety to 

 grow, and, when kept close and stimulated with manure, the easiest with 

 which to make a lawn, but if not kept mown it will grow at least 2 feet 

 high. 



Daisies and Salt. 



We are always being asked how to kill Daisies on lawns. One ounce 

 of sulphate of ammonia to a square yard, carefully and evenly sprinkled 

 over the lawn in May, and again in June, and again in July, will kill all 

 Daisies if done in dry weather. It is almost useless to do it once — it 

 must be followed up for the three consecutive months, May, June, and 

 July — and it is no good in wet weather. 



The same Fellow asks whether common salt is good for meadow land. 

 We have often used it at the rate of 5 cwt. an acre with excellent results. 

 One of the heaviest Hay crops we ever had was after such a dressing, and 

 the aftergrass sprang up again sweet and thick for the cattle. 



Autumn-flowering Roses. 



The Show of Autumn-flowering Roses, held in the Hall of the 

 Royal Horticultural Society on September 20 last, was quite a revelation 

 to many who had no idea of the great value of Roses for autumn effects, 

 and on all sides visitors were busy taking notes of varieties to grow. A 

 month later, viz. October 19, we had the opportunity of seeing a mag- 

 nificent collection growing in the West Midlands and flowering in a most 

 profuse manner, in spite of having passed through six degrees of frost, 

 but without the slightest apparent injury. It may be useful to intending 

 Rose planters if we give the names of those varieties which had not only 

 the finest flowers, but also the greatest quantity of blossom. As Hybrid 

 Teas were the best, they are named first in alphabetical order, viz. 

 1 Camoens,' bright rose, one mass of lovely buds ; 1 Clara Watson,' salmon- 

 pink, very free ; ' Gruss an Teplitz ' was one sheet of bright scarlet, both 

 in bush form, and as a climber ; ' Lady Henry Grosvenor,' soft pink, a 

 very fine variety ; ' Caroline Testout ' was not only covered with flowers, 

 but most of them were fit for the exhibition table ; 1 Mrs. W. J. Grant,' 

 with its lovely pink flowers, was equal to any in all respects ; all the 

 Waltham Climbers, viz. Nos. 1, 2, and 3, were very fine as bush or pillar 

 varieties, No. 1 being the deepest crimson. Among Teas, ' Comtesse 

 de Nadaillac ' (orange-copper and salmon), ' Enchantress ' (white), 'Ma 

 Capucine ' (orange-yellow), ' Maman Cochet ' (flesh-colour), and its white 

 form, 1 Muriel Graham ' (pale cream), and ' Mrs. Edward Mawley,' were all 

 first-class. 



Practically all the Noisette varieties were covered with flowers, but 

 although a little "off colour," 'William Allan Richardson' stood out 

 above all others by its enormous quantity of flowers on bush or climbing 



