Digging
Source:
The Book Of Sports
Category:
GARDENING.
The young gardener should practise digging, with a view to digging well.
In beginning to dig a piece of ground, he should first clear it of all
sticks, stalks, or stones, that might impede his labor. He should then
commence at one end of the ground, with his back to the sun, if
possible, and, beginning from the left-hand corner, dig one line all the
way to the right-hand corner, either one or two spades deep, as may be
required. The ground should be turned over, evenly laid up at the top,
nice and level, and the weeds completely buried. The operator should dig
carefully when near the roots of gooseberry, currant, raspberry, or
fruit trees, and more carefully still, among flowers. If digging early
in the season, he must mind he does not dig into his _bulbs_; such as
lilies, tulips, snow-drops, crocuses, or daffodils, and cut them to
pieces.
In the latter part of the year, in November and December, it is a good
plan to dig up any unoccupied ground into ridges, and leave it in that
state during the winter, that the frost may act upon it. The effect of
frost upon the ground so prepared is very beneficial, as it breaks the
clods and pulverizes the more cloggy portions, which fall down in a thaw
as a fine soft mould. When manure is dug into the ground, it should not
be dug in too deeply, about four or five inches being quite sufficient
in most cases.
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Weeding
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Gardening Tools
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