THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 335 



will occasionally pare off the surface soil, and with it the roots of 

 the grasses ; many a good lawn has been ruined by the foolish practice 

 of making the machine cut as close as possible, under the absurd im- 

 pression that one cut is better than two. The more cuts the better, 

 provided always that the machine is properly set and in the best 

 working order. Another mode of making a present effect at the 

 expense of the lawn consists in continually cutting afresh edge with 

 the edging iron. A gardener who cuts into the turf on the edge of 

 the lawn to make a finish ought to be compelled to eat all that he 

 removes. If the practice is persisted in, the grass is reduced in 

 breadth, and the walk is widened, and in time there is formed a deep 

 gutter and a sharp ugly ridge. If properly finished at the edge with 

 the shears, the width of walk will not vary an inch in fifty years. 

 One of the first things we look after in the work of a new man is 

 his management of the edges of lawns, and we are always careful to 

 explain our views upon the subject in good time to prevent a mis- 

 chief which cannot be easily remedied. The man who persists after 

 warning and explanation in chop, chop, chopping at the edge, as if it 

 were necessary to construct a gutter of mud on each side of a walk, 

 deserves to hear an opinion of his procedure that will make him 

 tingle from head to foot with shame. The jobbing gardener is a 

 master of this chop-down-gutter-forming business, and will always 

 be ready to advise the employment of gravel to fill up the trench 

 that should never have been made. 



It may be well, perhaps, to add a word upon the employment of 

 spergula for lawns. A spergula lawn in good condition is one of the 

 loveliest embellishments of a garden that can be conceived. "We 

 have seen many so-called spergula lawns, but only three that were 

 good enough for agreeable remembrance. The whole truth of the 

 matter may be summed up in a sentence : A spergula lawn demands 

 constant attention and is of necessity a troublesome thing to form in 

 the first instance and to manage afterwards. Therefore for what 

 may be termed " general usefulness " we cannot recommend the 

 employment of spergula. However, any of our readers who are 

 inclined to indulge in this unwonted luxury need not be deterred 

 through supposing there is any mystery at the bottom of success • 

 it is a question of time and attention, and whenever these are with- 

 held the spergula lawn will go to ruin. Prepare the ground well 

 and plant the tufts in September and October, or in March and April. 

 Frequently roll the ground and never cease to pull out weeds for 

 these are the chief enemies of spergula. One season's neglect of 

 weeding will ruin a spergula lawn, and one week's neglect at a time 

 of year when weeds grow freely will result in considerable damage. 

 As for worms, which also injure spergula turf by their casts the 

 roller will sufficiently repair the damage they do, but if any nostrum 

 is required to reduce their number there can be nothing better than 

 clear lime-water, for while thi3 kills the worms, it benefits the 

 spergula. 



As the formation of a spergula lawn requires much patient atten- 

 tion, it may be recommended as a pastime to those who are of a 

 temperament suited to the task and can afford the time that must 



