THE GARDENING WORLD 
263 
' i 
April 18, 1908. 
BARR’S SPECIAL 
BULB AND POTATO 
Dibber. 
We have seen quite a variety of dibbers 
0 be used for various purposes in the 
garden, but there is a set of them de¬ 
signed for planting Potatos. Many of 
hem are rather clumsy articles, and when 
shod with iron are usually perfectly round 
md smooth, so that the hole in which 
he Potato is subsequently put is hard 
md close by the use of this smooth sur- 
aced instrument. To overcome this, 
Messrs. Barr and Sons, xi, 12 and 13, 
King Street, Covent Garden, London, 
have invented a tool that breaks up the 
surface. 
The dibber consists of an upright shaft 
with a cross handle at the top and a 
treadle right and left of the operator, so 
that either foot can be used in pressing 
it into the soil. The dibber itself is shod 
with steel below the treadle, and is not 
quite round, but somewhat angular, and 
then notches have been cut out of these 
.angles so as to break up the surface of 
the soil in the hole. For Potatos, a good 
sized hole is necessary, hence the neces¬ 
sity of the feet to tread it in. 
This dibber with its handle weighs 
about 6f lbs., and its weight is really an 
aid in pushing it into the soil to make 
holes for Potatos. It is also used for 
planting bulbs where the soil is rather 
stiff. This would be in beds. It would, 
therefore, come in handy for the plant¬ 
ing of Hvacinths and Gladioli, in which 
the bulbs are of greater diameter than 
those of other hardy bulbs. 
The Screw Peg. 
c— + 5 
Horticulturists are always finding new 
lses for old contrivances. We are 
amiliar with twisted or screw stakes for 
taking Carnations, but the screw in that 
ase is above the ground, so that the stem 
>f the Carnation may be twisted into the 
crew and thereby save tying. The screw 
ieg may, therefore, be considered a new 
.rticle, and is intended to be screwed into 
he soil to fix it and hold it there for a 
-ariety of purposes. The accompanying 
llustration shows the screw peg about 
me-eighth natural size, and in reality it 
,’ould therefore be about 16 in. long, but 
is also made of different lengths accord- 
ig to requirements. 
In this instance it is used as a peg to 
:rew into the ground, instead of driving 
1 wooden pegs, to hold the branches of 
pyramidal Apple or Pear tree in posi- 
on for a year, after which they remain 
1 that position as a result of fresh 
rowth. 
These wire stumps, to give them an- 
:her name, can be fixed in the ground in 
uch shorter time than the wooden ones, 
id being made of wire, they will last 
several years longer than the wooden 
stump. The latter article, in order to 
make it durable, requires to be creosoted. 
While this is a source of expense and 
trouble, the close proximity of creosoted 
wood to the roots of plants is certainly 
injurious, as has been proved at Westmin¬ 
ster by the proximity of creosoted wood 
paving to plant beds. Even although it 
is’creosoted, decay will set in after a time, 
and decaying wood harbours plant 
enemies of a variety of kinds. When de¬ 
caying, the crevices of wood furnish ideal 
places for hibernating insects and also 
shelter the resting spores of mould. The 
illustration of a tree fixed in position by 
these screw pegs will give a graphic idea 
of what we mean in using them for this 
purpose. 
The screw peg can be made of greater 
The Screw Peg, showing how to tie the 
branches of fruit trees into position. 
length, and then becomes serviceable as 
a substitute for stakes in supporting her¬ 
baceous plants in the border. Staking is 
usually accomplished when the weather 
is dry and the ground hard, and wooden 
stakes are then very difficult to drive into 
the soil. The screw stake may be twisted 
into the ground readily, and while it can 
easily be taken out by unscrewing, it is 
not easily pulled out of the ground. 
The smaller size can also be used for 
fixing up wires or strings as supports for 
Peas and Scarlet Runners. In the latter 
case the usual contrivance is to fix in tall 
poles at certain distances apart and then 
to run a wire along near the ground and 
another from top to top of the upright 
poles. Wires or strings are then fixed 
perpendicularly between these two. In 
either case the perpendicular ties have 
the effect of pulling the wires together, 
so that the lower one is some distance 
from the ground and of little or no service 
to the Beans for some time. By the use 
of one of these wire pegs at the base of 
each perpendicular string or wire, the 
lower wire can be held close to the 
ground. Even if a few of them are used 
it would have this effect. These illustra¬ 
tions have been put at our disposal by 
the Acme Chemical Co., Ltd., Vale Road 
East, Tonbridge, Kent. They have also 
an office at River Street, Bolton, Lancs. 
. . DERMATINE . . 
Garden Hose. 
The above is a kind of garden hose en¬ 
tirely different from india-rubber, and 
therefore capable of standing extremes of 
heat and cold. It does not become ad¬ 
hesive under heat, nor does it decay after 
frost. The hose when in use will not 
kink like an ordinary rubber hose. That 
is a matter of great importance, seeing 
that a hose very quickly gets injured, even 
if it does not burst immediately when it 
kinks during use. It is a long lasting 
material, capable of withstanding very 
rough treatment, and usually lasts as long 
as three ordinary hoses. It is somewhat 
more expensive to commence with than 
rubber hose, but its durability makes up 
for this in the end. 
A form of it is also manufactured cap¬ 
able of withstanding high temperature, 
thus making it specially suitable for con¬ 
veying steam. It can also be put to various 
other uses, but as these do not concern 
the gardener, we need not mention them. 
It is usually made in lengths of 60 ft., 
but this varies in diameter according to 
the necessities of the user; in other words 
it is made of various thicknesses or dia¬ 
meters according to the volume of water 
it is intended to convey. 
Those who desire to get Dermatine Hose 
should, therefore, state clearly to the 
makers for what purpose they intend to 
use it, and the pressure that is likely to 
be exerted upon it. In proof of the 
general utility of Dermatine Hose, it may 
be stated that it is being used by officials 
and the London Countv Council in the 
various royal parks and gardens. Rail¬ 
way and dock companies and various 
others are also using it. This useful 
article is obtainable from the Dermatine 
Company, Limited. 95, Neate Street, 
Camberwell, S.E. 
* 
