THE FLORAL WOULD AND C4ARDEN GUIDE. 63 



coarse about it, and anything like the summer long, a patch of well-kept 

 severe clipping is altogether unneces- turf may do its share to make you 

 sary. It is best to clip off the flower- happy. 



stems as they appear, so as to promote This being the season for laying 

 and preserve the greenness of the down and sowing grass, let us briefly 

 very neat herbage, and towards the advise those who may have an interest 

 end of the season, another regular in the matter. In common with most 

 clipping will be necessary, to remove other things, the grasses do badly on 

 decayed leaves and set the lines in ground that is not effectually drained, 

 order for the winter. The Isolepis and the first thing to do is to ensure 

 gracilis should be raised in a little good drainage, where the soil is in any 

 heat, in boxes, and planted out with way retentive. A sound loam of a 

 nice precision in May, and this, for its hazelly kind is that on which grass 

 genuine gracefulness, should be al- thrives the best, and, if it can be got, 

 lowed to bloom, as it is sure to do turf from a high and dry common is the 

 from Midsummer till after Michaelmas, ( best of all materials wherewith to con- 

 but it will not stand the frost. struct a lawn, and the best time to lay 

 Now that we have got so far. we it down is the end of March, and thence 

 come naturally enough to grass-plots to the middle of April ; the ground to 

 and lawns, and if I keep close to the be first well dug, cleared of large 

 matter, as one for sober, practical stones, and raked perfectly level, or 

 treatment, it must be to the suppres- to such regular slopes as may be de- 

 sion of many jovial reminiscences, aye, sired. Where the level is already 

 and of anticipations too, for here comes broken, or where it may be desired to 

 the summer, swift as the succession of have an undulating surface, the slopes 

 night and day ; once more the sun will should be easy and spacious. Hence, 

 blind us with his golden beams, and in a small space, an up and down lawn 

 the " clear heat upon herbs " will looks a little like child's play. In- 

 touch us with the sweet lassitude that deed, in planning any garden where 

 makes a " shady covert "gainst the hot grass is to form a feature, every endea- 

 season,*' with a cool, mossy lawn to vour should be made to give the lawns 

 roll upon, the very perfection of list- : as free and open a character as possi- 

 less happiness and abandoned heart- | ble ; intricate patches, mixed with dot- 

 ease. Oh ! the bright, smooth bowling- tings of shrub, or broken up by a mul- 

 green, how it shines in its close shaven tiplicity of walks, have a mean effect, 

 neatness of verdure, and what a fra- | when compared with the one good 

 grance is emitted from it on dewy sum- sweep of well-kept turf, 

 mer evenings, when the foot gently , To lay out a large surface, and to 

 bruises the green sprays, or the bowls improve and renovate old lawns, a se- 

 make glaucous lines upon it ! Oh! the lection of suitable grass-seeds is some- 

 rippling summer meadows, where the j times preferable to turf, and to secure, 

 moles have made hundreds of soft hil- j by Midsummer, a good close turf from 

 locks, that invite us to bury ourselves seed sown early this month is as easy 

 in the herbage, and rest our heads on as the keeping it afterwards in a con- 

 pillows of wild flowers. Oh! breezy '• dition of perfect beauty. Letthesur- 

 evenings, under orchard trees, where , face be well dug, and made as fine as 

 the grass makes a cushion on which possible on the surface. If the soil is 

 the juicy pears may tumble unhurt ; old and sour, or if it is a hungry gravel, 

 and, oh ! bright eyes, laughing cheeks, j fresh sandy loam, spread equally all 

 and lips made for kissing, how will you over after the digging, will be prefer 



people the garden with angel faces, 

 when the lawn has been rolled and 

 swept, and every tint of earth and 

 heaven has taken possession of the daz- 

 zling beds and borders. A garden 

 without grass is no garden at all, but 

 if there is not a single flower in it all 



able to manure, for Ave do not want a 

 strong, coarse growth, but a fine close 

 one, and, in my opinion, spite of the 

 dictum of gardeners, a moderate growth 

 of moss is absolutely essential to the 

 thorough beauty and enjoyment of a 

 lawn, and from the first it ought to be 



