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Evening Post, Volume CI, Issue 14, 17 January 1921, Page 8

. Many people in and about Christchurch who take delight in their lawns have had them rendered unsightly by the appearance of what are known as "fairy rings"—'circular areas upon which the grass appeals to have withered. The portion of the Victoria Square reserve upon which is erected the Quoen Victoria statue is at present showing tho effects of these fairy rings, which, spoil the appearance of a piece of lawn that is usually carpet-like in its uniform greenness. Mr. W. Wickens, the city's superintendent of parks and gardens, informed a Press repnVier that experiment had beau maj; at Sydenham Park with the application of-,wood ashes to the affected portions^ of the grass, and he had been given to understand ihat it had proved satisfactory. As to the general efficaciousness of this remedy, Mr. Wickens said that he was not prepared to make any definite statement until experiments with wood ashes had been carried out' on similarly affected areas on the parks and reserves in other parts.' of the city. Owing to the unsighth'ness of fairy rings, which are caused by a fungus,* it was very desirable that some remedy should be found. Tho manner in which wood ashes were applied, ho stated, was as a top-dressing, the ashes being rubbed into the soil by hand. It was highly important that the ashes .should not have been wet, or washed by rain, before being applied ; the effect of wetting r,ho ashes was to deprive them of their lye—a most important factor in assisting in freeing the soil from the effects of tha fungus, which interfered with the r'o'urishmeat of tho grass,