THE GARDEN

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 951, 19 April 1930, Page 26

THE GARDEN

By

LEONARD A. GRIFFITHS, F.R.H.S.

*'Thr lending of flowers has ever aji young oj BRIEF HINTS ON LAWN-MAKING A lawn may be made on almost any class of soil, but a stiff, black loam or light, friable clay is best, as giving a solid surface, of which the future turf is to be formed. The ground to be laid down must be first thoroughly drained and levelled—these points are of great importance, as it will be impossible to have alterations made afterward without spoiling the appearance of the lawn. In levelling ground, occasion should be taken to have the soil distributed, so as to give a depth of about six inches at least of equal quality over all. The soil must next be thoroughly cleared of weeds and coarse-growing grasses; neglect of this precaution will cause much trouble afterwards, as the finer grasses will be smothered and the lawn become unsightly. The best method of clearing the ground is by digging it over to a depth of a foot, and hand-picking as dug. The seed may now be sown, and thick sowing is advisable, as being most likely to produce a close, springy turf. Sow at least lib of seed to every 25 square yards. After sowing, the ground should be lightly raked and heavily rolled; this will give the necessary firmness to the soil and prevent the young plants being scorched up before they have got firmly rooted. In dry weather it will be necessary to water the lawn frequently, both before and after the young grasses have vegetated. Buffalo grass lawns are only planted by roots, and those desiring to have such a lawn are advised to wait until spring before planting. USEFUL LAWN CUPPINGS Place all lawn cuttings, cabbage leaves, vegetable tops and other soft green stuff in a hole and mix cow or stable manure with it. The resulting compost is a valuable garden fertiliser. Even without the manure it is good, but the mixture is a very much better one. Keep weeds out of the pit.

peared to me a fitting care for the id beautiful.” — Mrs. Sigourney. ANTS IN THE GARDEN The following methods are quite effective in clearing them out, but should be used with care, as they are violent poisons: No. I.—Pour a few spoonfuls of carbon bisulphide down the holes and throw a wet sack over to keep the fumes in. This gas is harmless to human beings, but is very inflammable, so keep naked lights away. No. 2.—Mix two parts of sugar with one part of arsenate of lead, and scatter about the nest and on the tracks of the ants. Care should be taken to keep these mixtures out of the way of children or domesticated animals. WOOD ASHES Save all the wood ashes from the fireplace now. Those roaring fires on winter nights, when it is such a pleasure to nestle closely to the fire, are bringing more than comfort and pleasure to you now. The ashes carefully saved In a box or barrel will bring a bounty to your flower bed that it beyond comparison. Keep them dry, and in the spring work them into the soil around the annuals and per-

GLADIOLUS BULBS The question is often asked, “Should gladiolus corms be lifted each year?” The answer is "Yes.” If left In the ground they would probably rot during the winter. Further, by lifting the corms the grower can select the best time to ensure flowering when desired. It is not necessary to wait until the foliage dies down completely before lifting the corms. The best time for lifting is six to eight weeks from the time the plant finishes bloom. Lift the corms and place in a cool, dry shed, allowing the tops to remain, or else cutting off about four inches from the corm. Later, when the corms are thoroughly dry, the top portion should be cut off about two inches from the corm, and the old corm, which will be found beneath the new one, should be removed. After removing the outer husks, place the corms in bags or in shelves, in a cool dry position until the planting time arrives again. The cormlets, which will be noted growing around the corm, give an excellent opportunity for increasing the stock of the variety. Plant these cormlets as soon as removed in nursery rows, when they can be allowed to grow on until they reach a flowering size, usually at the end of the second year.