242 
THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 
Lawns—continued. 
shorter than it would be on an even surface. Lawn 
preparations should be commenced in autumn, and, if 
the site is not naturally drained, it must be made so 
artificially, by the insertion of pipes, before anything else 
is attempted. An undulation, or a gravelly sub-soil, 
will alone usually insure a sufficient drainage. The 
various levels of the surface should then be marked, and 
the whole be dug over a spit deep, and as evenly as 
possible. If the soil is of fairly good quality, and not 
very heavy, there will be no difficulty in doing this, or 
in the formation of the Lawn afterwards. Where it is 
very poor and sandy, the addition of some that is heavier, 
and of better quality, will be advisable, as there is a 
great difference throughout the season in the appearance 
of Lawns, according to the depth and quality of the soil 
beneath. This may appear somewhat needless ; but the 
work. should be considered as one of a permanent 
character, and after-results will well repay the extra 
trouble and expense incurred. The soil, having been 
thus dug all over alike, should be allowed to remain 
until spring, if possible, when exposure to rain and frost 
will have rendered it solid, and in good condition for 
treading and raking down, in preparation for turf or 
grass seeds, whichever may have been intended. If 
good turf can be secured, a Lawn may be made at 
once. It should be free from coarse grass and weeds, 
and if the turves have been cut uniform in thickness 
and size, they may soon be laid, and the work finished. 
Some fine light soil should be spread over and brushed 
in, to fill up all the interstices, and the turf-beater—a 
tool made specially for the purpose, with a flattened 
Fig. 381. TURF-BEATER. 
wooden head (see Fig. 381)—applied to make a plane 
surface. It is not advisable to mow too closely the 
first summer, especially if the season be a dry one. 
When recourse is had to grass seeds, they should be 
purchased from a reliable source, even though the price 
be higher than that usually paid; spurious stocks 
being worse than useless, where a piece of fine grass 
is of first importance, and the mowing machine is to be 
kept in use. The best season for sowing is in March and 
April, as the warm sunshine and showery weather then 
usually experienced is more favourable than any other 
for the quick germination of the seed. It will be neces- 
as for turf, allowing the surface to be the full height 
required for the Lawn. A verge of turf round the 
outside is a good guide in preparing a Lawn for grass 
seeds, as by its height a good deal may be determined 
with the eye alone in levelling the inside part. The 
seeds should be sown thinly, on a calm day, and lightly 
85 covered by means of a wooden rake; and, when the grass 
is well up, a heavy roller may be drawn over it before 
mowing. The next best season to April, for sowing, is the 
= pry a as 8 Wes gers r is then cooler than in sum- 
„ a ere is su! ient time for the grass to become 
established before winter. From 401b. to 50 lb. to an acre 
is about the quantity of grass seed required for a Lawn; 
Lawns—continued. 
but so much depends on the quality that it is uncertain 
whether this weight will be always sufficient. Mixtures 
of strong-growing sorts are prepared and sold separately 
for sowing under trees. Lawns which become un- 
sightly may be renovated considerably by a covering 
of about Tin. of rich light soil in autumn or early spring. 
A similar dressing of two parts loamy soil with one of 
powdered lime, may be recommended for applying in 
autumn, or at any time during showery weather, to 
Lawns covered with moss. Nutriment derived from 
such dressings by the old grass, and an additional light 
sowing of new seeds, will tend greatly to bring old 
Lawns into a much finer condition. Where plenty of 
water is at command, it may be freely applied in the 
evening, after dry days, insummer; but mere sprinklings 
are best left alone. The keeping of Lawns, when once 
established, is work of a routine character, consisting 
chiefly of mowing, rolling, and sweeping. All of these 
operations require frequent attention, particularly in 
spring and summer. 
LAWN SAND. A preparation said to have the 
power of destroying Daisies, Ribbed Grass, Plantains, 
Dandelions, &c., in lawns, and, at the same time, im- 
proving the quality of the grass. It should be applied 
in dry weather, evenly, through a dredging box; or about 
a thimbleful may be put on the centre or crown, varying 
the quantity according to the size of the weed. The use 
of Lawn Sand is not here recommended, as, although the 
crowns of strong weeds may be killed, their tap roots 
remain alive, form three or four fresh crowns in due 
course, and eventually grow with renewed vigour, thus 
necessitating a second or third application. Wherever 
Lawn Sand is carelessly applied, the grass becomes burnt 
up, and very unsightly, in a few hours. Sulphate of 
ammonium, which can be bought for 4d. per lb., has 
much the same effect. 
LAWSONIA (named after Dr. Isaac Lawson, a bo- 
tanical traveller, who published an account of a voyage to 
Carolina in 1709). Syn. Alcanna. ORD. Lythrariee. A 
monotypic genus, the species being a stove tree, It 
thrives in a compost of sandy peat and turfy loam. 
Propagated by cuttings of ripened shoots, placed in 
sand, under a glass, in heat. 
L. alba (white). Henna Plant. fl. white, small, sweet-smelling, 
in panicles. l. opposite, lanceolate, quite entire. A. 6ft, 
tol0ft. Northern Africa, Arabia, Persia, re India, 1752. SYN, 
L. inermis. 
L. inermis (unarmed). A synonym of L. alba. 
LAX. Loose; not compact. 
LAXMANNIA (named after E. Laxmann, 1737-1796, 
a Siberian traveller). ORD. Liliaceæ. A genus comprising 
eight species of greenhouse perennials, with fibrous roots, 
confined to Australia. Flowers white or pink, in ter- 
minal, pedunculate or sessile heads, with imbricated 
scarious 1 1 perianth persistent, but not twisted, of 
six segments. Leaves narrow-linear or subulate, in radical 
or terminal tufts, dilated at base into scarious, sheathing 
appendages, which are often produced into bristles. Stems 
short and tufted, or elongated, branched, and diffuse, 
e beg inne require a eee, of loam and peat. Propa- 
gated by divisions. L. gracilis and L. ndiflora 
probably the only species introduced. Sea gas 
L. gracilis (slender). f. pink, very shortly pedi 
sessile; heads small, on slender pes a ecw da gm 
June, I. crowded at bases and ends of branches, th 
broad, sheathing bases imbricate, with a few woolly a re 
their margins; the blades filiform erect or i i i 
; r t eading, żin. to lin, 
— Stems er, branched, forming Tose tutis of lft. or 
June. 1. crowded 10 the i 
terminating in lone fringed lang, scarious 
old, densely andl sence ae Tinged bristles. Stems tufted when 
Ny 
