266 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
April 18, 1908. 
Patent Chain Automaton Lawn Mower. 
It is astonishing what improvements are 
made in mowing machines at the present 
day to furnish an article that will be light 
and strong, accomplish work easily and 
perform the duties for which it is intended. 
The chief difference between the chain 
automaton and the gear automaton is 
that the former is driven by chain and 
is practically noiseless. It is meant for 
lawns that are mown regularly and where 
the grass is never allowed to get out of 
Patent Chain Automaton Lawn Mower. 
order. When they are required for bowl¬ 
ing greens they are fitted with a flat bot¬ 
tom blade adapted for close cutting. The 
big or roller wheel of this patent automa¬ 
ton is ribbed, so as to prevent it from slip¬ 
ping on the grass either when slightly 
wet or in places where the ground slopes 
to one side. 
We would, therefore, recommend the 
chain automaton to those who keep their 
lawns regularly cut, so that the grass 
never gets too rank before the machine is 
put upon it. It is true that there is an 
adjustment roller in front by which it 
may. be elevated or lowered, but when 
grass is allowed to get rank it interferes 
with the chain gearing if it happens to be 
wet, and the cut grass accumulates about 
the machine. There is no particular size 
for these machines, as they may be had 
with blades of various lengths from 8 in. 
to 24 in. The price varies accordingly. 
The 24 in. machine would be rather a 
heavy one if much grass requires to be cut 
weekly, but they are fitted with a whipple- 
tree for a pony or donkey. The above is 
one of the sets of machines issued by 
Messrs. Ransomes, Sims and Jefferies, 
Ltd., Orwell Works, Ipswich, who have 
been making machines for so many years, 
suitable for all sorts and sizes of gardens 
and pleasure grounds. 
The “Patent Gear Automaton” is also 
made in nine sizes, as in the case of the 
above-mentioned type. When fitted with 
wheeled gearing they are somewhat 
heavier to work, but they are very accu¬ 
rately fitted and capable of dealing with 
grass that gets rank and out of order. 
Not only can the front roller alter the 
elevation of the cutting blades, but the 
handles are shiftable to suit the height 
of the man who works it. 
The light roller lawn mower, or “'Auto¬ 
maton Minor,” is a light roller machine 
.made much after the same pattern as the 
gear automaton, but is lighter and 
cheaper. It is specially adapted for cut¬ 
ting grass where the surface is perfectly 
level and always in good order,' like a 
putting green. 
The “ Empire Lawn Mower ” and “ Em¬ 
pire Major Mower” are adapted for cut¬ 
ting golf links where the grass is left lying 
as it is cut. There is, of..c-ourjp, no grass 
box for them. 
The “Anglo-Paris”' and “Lion” Tawn 
mowers are strong, light machines, which 
may be used with or without grass boxes. 
The same firm also makes a large num¬ 
ber of types of mowers to be drawn by 
donkeys, ponies, horses, or to be driven 
by motor. The last-named varies in size 
from a cutting blade of 24 in. to one of 
42 in. 
“ Vaporite.” 
For some years past this insecticide has 
been put td a great variety of uses in the 
destruction of insect pests, both in the 
field and in gardens. The high manur¬ 
ing given in gardens year after year en¬ 
courages a great variety of vermin, and 
it often becomes extremely difficult for the 
gardener to grow . Onions, Carrots, 
Radishes, Potatos and many other crops 
which grow beneath the soil. The mis¬ 
chief is being done very often while the 
gardener can scarcely suspect it, al¬ 
though if such crops as Carrots and 
Onions get infested while they are yet 
quite young it can veiy quickly be seen 
that something is wrong at the root. 
With small plants, however, the damage 
is more or less complete and the crop is 
ruined. 
“Vaporite ” is a preparation which has 
been invented and put into commerce by 
Messrs. Strawsons, 71a, Queen Victoria 
Street, London, E.C. Mr. Strawson has 
been working or making experiments with 
insecticides for many years past, and 
showed Londoners many useful object les¬ 
sons in years gone by when he exhibited 
his various spraying and also dusting ma¬ 
chines employed for delivering the various 
insecticides. He really commenced his 
researches in 1880. For some years he 
carried on experiments with “Vaporite” 
both in England and Spain, and he put 
his invention on the market in 1904. 
Since then many gardeners and ama¬ 
teurs in different parts of the country have 
found it an extremely useful insecticide, 
and this quite independently of the valu¬ 
able uses to which it can be put by far¬ 
mers and market gardeners in the cultiva¬ 
tion of various field crops. “Vaporite” 
is a powder which is scattered upon the 
soil infested wfith insects and dug in. 
After a time it commences to give off 
fumes that are extremely disagreeable, if 
not actually destructive, to insects, such 
as wireworms, daddy-long-legs, mites, 
slugs and other offensive creatures which 
hide away in the soil and prey upon the 
roots of plants and in some cases come 
above ground during the, night to still 
further carry out their depredations. 
Some of the plants which would profit 
by this are Potatos, Carrots, Onions, 
Leeks, Turnips, Parsnips, and many 
others which get their roots destroyed and 
gradually dwindle away or are rendered 
useless. Then, again, we must not forget 
the pupae or resting stage of the Peai 
midge, Gooseberry and Currant sawfly. 
the woodlice, millipeds, ground cater¬ 
pillars, the grubs of beetles and weevils 
all capable of doing untold mischief. 
This “ Vaporite ” has been used at the 
rate of 1 cwt. to f acre and 2 cwts. per 
acre of land. Not the least valuable 
point in connection with this insecticide 
is the length of time it keeps effective. 
-- 
Hobbies, Limited. 
Now that the spring time is once mors 
upon us, we are glad to welcome in rea 
earnest that hobby of all hobbies 
amateur gardening, and naturally \v< 
turn to Hobbies, Ltd., who haye supplies 
our pastimes during the winter month 
and send to their Norfolk Nurseries 
Dereham, for their comprehensive annua 
Catalogue of Seeds and Plants. 
Hobbies’ 1908 catalogue even excels, ii 
variety of plants and seeds offered, a 
well as excellence of printing and pm 
duction, any catalogue issued by this en 
terprising company in previous years. 
We are unable to convey any accurr.t< 
idea of the variety of selection offered b; 
Hobbies, Ltd., in their mammoth cata 
logue. 
If we were to particularise, we wouli 
mention that a splendid selection of fiv 
grand new Roses is offered at 5s., collec 
tions of vegetable seeds from 2s. 6d. t 
21s., besides particulars of a very larg 
selection of Peas, Beans, and every kin 
of garden vegetable in endless variey t 
suit every pocket. Asters, Stocks, Dah 
lias, Carnations, Begonias, Lobelias 
Hollyhocks, Mignonette, Pansies, Petu 
nias, Sweet Peas, and other varieties c 
almost every flower grown in English gai 
dens are offered in the pages of this in 
teresting book in profusion. 
Another special feature is the alphabet' 
cal list of Roses, instructive in itself, oc : 
cupving 14 pages, affording the profes 
sional or amateur gardener the larges 
possible selection in the national favou 
rite. The special department for th 
supply of garden tools at reasonabl 
terms is worth notice, and the amateu 
would do well to remember that Hobbies 
Ltd., besides being in the position to'sup 
ply the best seeds obtainable at the mos 
reasonable terms, are also willing an 
able to give valuable advice to their er 
quiring patrons. Every amateur gai 
dener should be in possession of Hobbie 
1908 Catalogue of Seeds and Plants b( 
fore making a final selection. It wi: 
be supplied post free on writing to Hot 
bies, Ltd., at the Norfolk Nurseries 
Dereham, or on application to Londo 
Office, 17, Broad Street Place, E.C 
Mention Gardening World, when you 
communication will receive prompt after 
tion. 
The Grecians cultivated largely tv 
Ivy, Violet, Rose, Iris, Gilliflowers, Nn 
cissi, etc. ; for adorning the gardens th 
Myrtle and Box were frequently usee] 
Violets were grown in'profusion for tin 
markets at Athens. 
