February 13, 1909. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
1 03 
The Flower Garden. 
op-dressing Lawns. 
A nice velvety lawn is a most beautiful 
■ature of any garden, but it can only be ob- 
.ined by very careful attention. Crops of 
Divers, fruits, and vegetables are stimulated 
;gularly by judicious applications of 
irious manures, but the lawn, generally, 
oes not receive this attention in a corre- 
jonding degree. The grass is cut every 
eek, or nearly every week, throughout the 
hole of the summer, thus exposing the 
>ots of the grasses to the fierce rays of the 
in. In shallow, or gravelly soils, large 
itches of grass die, or at least the latter is 
idly injured. This all means a deteriora- 
on of the lawn and more labour and ex- 
snse for the owner or occupier in getting it 
1 a fair condition for the next summer. If 
lese facts be realised now, and the cultiva- 
r will tackle the necessary work at once, 
3 will be pleasantly surprised at the re¬ 
fits in the summer time, 
ow to Improve Lawns. 
Where clayey loam, or even heavy soil of 
3 od average depth 'obtains, organic manures 
3 ed not be used; but in the case of sandy 
>am, or gravelly soil, organic manure and 
ch loam must be put on. With regard to 
te clayey, or heavy soil, give a dressing of 
fiphate of ammonia, half a pound, and 
iperphosphate, two pounds, to each forty 
[uare yards. 
For the lighter sandy, or gravelly soil, 
?e four bushels of well-rotted manure, two 
ishels of good loam, and one bushel of 
ritty soil, or road drift, to each forty square 
irds. Mix the ingredients, spread them 
.'enly on the grass, and then brush the ma- 
rial gently to and fro every week for a 
onth or so. By doing this the top-dressing 
ill get worked in around the roots of the 
rass, and the latter will commence to grow, 
1 due course, and form a much fuller car- 
-t than formerly. 
runing Deciduous Shrubs. 
Do not lose any time in getting all neces- 
- r y pruning of deciduous shrubs and trees 
me. If great care be not taken, however, 
badly-grown shrub will be made worse. It 
a mistake to cut away too many shoots 
?ar the points of the branches. The object 
pruning should be to improve the form, to 
’ S■ 1 shows how to -prune a deciduous 
rub- el, A, shoots which should be cut 
'\?> B, B, young shoots which must not be 
cut off, except to avoid overcrowding. 
secure a naturally-grown specimen, and not 
to create a stiff, mop-shaped subject. 
By studying Fig. 1, readers j?f The Gar¬ 
dening World will understand clearly how 
to do the work. Cross, or ill-grown shoots 
such as those shown at A, A, must be cut 
out, but many of the smaller shoots, as 
shown at B, B, must be left. A few only 
should be removed to prevent overcrowding. 
If too many small shoots, growing near the 
ends of the branches, are cut out, a thicket 
of twigs would result and so spoil the shape 
of the bush or tree. Those young shoots that 
are cut away must be severed close to the 
large stem, if several 11 eyes,” or buds, be 
left at the base of the small shoot, a corre¬ 
sponding number of young twigs will grow. 
Top-dress Rhododendrons. 
These beautiful flowering shrubs should 
be generously treated; they deserve good 
treatment. When the dead leaves of de¬ 
ciduous trees and shrubs collect under the 
Rhododendron bushes, a quantity of soil is 
generally loosened and swept away with 
them, thus leaving bare the roots. Preserve 
Fig. 2 shows how the branches of Peach 
and Nectarine trees should be tied up for 
cleansing purposes. 
the surface roots, and feed them by putting 
on a thick mulch of good peat and loam, 
mixed; if peat cannot be obtained use leaf- 
soil and cover it with loam. The peat may 
be put on in a lumpy state, not in a powder. 
The Fruit Garden. 
Cleaning Fruit Trees. 
It is really astonishing the number of 
insect pests that will live on the branches, 
lodged in the bark, of fruit trees during the 
winter months. In summer time the insects 
are active, and it is almost an endless task 
to keep them from utterly destroying both 
leaves and fruit at that time; but now we 
can get at close quarters with the pests and 
should not lose any time in doing so. 
The branches of wall trees such as those cf 
Peaches, Nectarines, Plums, Apricots, and 
Cherries, must be loosened from the wires, 
or walls, and be tied in small bundles, as 
shown in Fig. 2, then the operator will know 
which branches have been dealt with. The 
walls may be freely syringed with strong 
solutions of insecticides without injury to 
the trees, and the latter, too, may be dressed 
with insecticides at full strength, as the bark 
will not be damaged by them while they are 
Fig. 3. Rhubarb roots may now be lifted, 
divided, and replanted. Preserve all the 
roots possible, as shown in the figure. 
practically dormant. The buds are always 
tender, and very great care must be taken not 
to injure them either by the mixtures used, 
or the manipulation of the shoots. 
Vines. 
Vines on pergolas, or walls, should be 
pruned at once, if this work has been de- 
laj^ed. Nearly every branch which is cut 
off at the present time will bleed in spring 
when the sap flows unless the cut ends are 
at once painted with a preparation called 
“ styptic,” or with painters’ “ knotting,” 
which will answer the purpose equally well. 
The Kitchen Garden. 
There need not be any lack of work in this 
department at the present time, and the en¬ 
thusiastic vegetable grower will be eager to 
commence operations in every quarter; but it 
is well to proceed warily. With regard to 
the planting and sowing of seeds, it is ad¬ 
visable to study the nature of the soil and 
its condition. If it be clayey and cold and 
full of moisture, leave seed sowing and the 
planting for a time. If of a light, sandy 
nature, and nice and dry now, seeds for 
early crops may be sown, and seedlings 
transplanted. If readers who have not had 
much experience follow this advice they will 
be quite-satisfied later on. 
Spring Cabbages. 
V hen the soil is dry on the surface make 
good use of the Dutch hoe between the rows 
of plants. Never mind waiting for weeds 
to grow, but create a dry mulch on the sur¬ 
face, and let in air and warmth. Then feed- 
ing must be done. Before hoeing the soil 
put on a top-dressing of nitrate of soda at 
the rate of two ounces per yard run of row, 
distributing the soda as evenly as possible. 
By following up the hoeing and giving 
fortnightly applications of nitrate, very fine 
Cabbages will be available for cutting quite 
a fortnight earlier than would be the case 
if they did not receive this attention. 
Broccoli. 
V atch the Broccoli, and as the flowers de¬ 
velop break down two or three large leaves 
over them to protect them from frost and the 
burning effects of the sun afterwards. 
Rhubarb. 
Lift the roots and carefully divide the 
larger clumps as shown in Fig. 3. Replant 
the divided parts in deeply trenched, rich 
soil, allowing a space of 4 ft. between the 
clumps. 
Foxglove. 
The Amateur’s Greenhouse. 
Cleanliness in the Greenhouse. 
Spring is surely looming ahead, and the 
many plants which have been resting dur- 
ing the recent dull time will be awakening 
into life and activity. Greenhouse subjects 
are more affected by their surroundings than 
we usually imagine, and cleanliness is es¬ 
sential if perfect specimens are looked for. 
