T U R 



T U R 



field of similar close firm sward, where the 

 grass is not rank and coarse, nor abounding in 

 weeds, or much overran with the common 

 wild daisy. 



In the operation of cutting, a line should be 

 drawn tight lengthways of the grass-ground, and 

 then the cutting-racer be stricken into the sur- 

 face of the sward, close to the line, pushing it 

 along so as to cut or score the sward in a straight 

 cut the length of the line, about an inch and 

 half deep ; and having thus raced out one length, 

 the line should be moved a foot width further 

 to race out another length as before, proceeding 

 in the same manner to a third, and so on to as 

 many lengths of the line, in foot widths, as 

 may be necessary; then, by the same means, the 

 sward is to be raced cross-ways in yard distances, 

 and thus the proper widths and lengths are 

 formed. After the sward has been thus raced 

 out, it should be flayed, or cut up with the 

 turfing-iron, beginning at one side, cutting 

 evenly longways the whole length of each raced 

 line, about an inch or inch and half thick ; a 

 person following immediately after to roll them 

 up separately in yard lengths, grass side inward, 

 as close and tight as possible : having thus cut 

 up one range, proceed with another in the same 

 manner, and so continue with the whole. As 

 the turfs are rolled up, they should be piled 

 close and regular together, ready for carrying 

 away. When cut by the hundred, as is often 

 the case where large quantities are required, they 

 are commonly piled up in tens ; four below, 

 three next, then two, and one at top, for the 

 more ready reckoning of the number wanted. 



TURFING, the operation of laying down 

 turf. In preparing the ground for this purpose, 

 it should, where loose, be well trodden, or oc- 

 casionally rammed; then be properly levelled 

 with the spade, and afterward raked smooth; 

 when it is ready for laying. In laying the turfs, 

 they should be unrolled regularly on the ground, 

 each in its place, making them join close edge 

 to edge, so as to form at once a close even 

 sward ; beating the whole down close and even 

 afterwards with heavy wooden beaters, to settle 

 the roots of the grass close to the earth, as well 

 as to form the surface equally close, firm, even, 

 and smooth ; the turf thus soon strikes root 

 below, and grows above, without any further 

 care in this part of the business, except occa- 

 sionally beating down any swelling inequalities, 

 and sometimes rolling it with a heavy iron roller. 

 Sometimes when turf is laid in the summer, or 

 early part of autumn, in dry hot weather, it will 

 shrink and open considerably at the joinings, 

 and assume a decayed-like appearance. In this 

 case, a few good waterings would be serviceable; 



but should this be omitted, the first heavy rain 

 will mostly recover the whole effectually, and 

 swell the sward, so as to close all the chasms, 

 and revive the verdure of the grass plants, when 

 a heavy rolling should be given, to settle the 

 whole firm and even, and give the surface a 

 neat appearance. The principal circumstance 

 to be regarded in this sort of work, is to have 

 the surface of the ground well levelled before the 

 turfs are laid down. 



In respect to the after-culture of ground 

 formed with turf, it is chieHy to give occasional 

 mowings, from the spring through the summer 

 till October, and occasionally poling and rolling 

 the surface to keep it even and level. The 

 mowings in these cases should constantly be 

 performed before the grass gets too high a 

 growth, so as to injure the surface appearance. 

 See Gkass-Ground. 



TURFING-IRON, an implement made use 

 of for flaying or cutting up grass turf from land 

 for the above purpose: it is formed with an iron 

 plate for the culler, six to seven or eight inches 

 wide, a little rounding forward at the edge, 

 which is thin and sharp for cutting, but thick- 

 ening gradually behind to the upper part, where 

 it is forged to a long bent iron handle, the bend- 

 ing so formed as to admit of the plate or cutter 

 resting flat with its back on the ground, in the 

 proper position for readily cutting or flaying the 

 turf evenly, alia regular depth; the handle at 

 top being either formed of iron with an opening 

 like the top of a spade, or a socket in which to 

 fix a short wooden handle of that kind. It is repre- 

 sented at fig. 4. in the annexed plate. In using it 

 in cutting the turf, the workman takes hold with 

 one hand in the top handle, the other below, 

 with the latter guiding the tool in the proper 

 position, whilst the upper hand is placed against 

 his knee, &c, which assists him in thrusting it 

 forward into the ground evenly under the sward; 

 and thus he proceeds along in a regular man- 

 ner, moving the tool gradually along at each 

 stroke, level and even, at an equal depth. 



TURKEY-BERRY TREE. See Cordia. 



TURKEY WHEAT. See Zea. 



TURK'S CAP. See Lilium. 



TURNEP. SeeBRAssiCA. 



TURNERA, a genus comprising a plant of 

 the woody, flowering, exotic kind, for the 

 stove. 



It belongs to the class and order Pentandria 

 Trigynia, and ranks in the natural order of 

 Column, [f'erce. 



The characters are : that the calyx is a one- 

 leafed perianth, funnel-form, deciduous : tube 

 oblong, erect, cylindric-angular : border erect, 

 five-parted : segments lanceolate, length of the 



