40 Landscape Gardening 



be changed or edges defaced by passage over them. Water is 

 necessary to make a perfect lawn on thin soil, but watering 

 a newly seeded lawn, unless the water is applied in a very fine 

 mist, will do harm rather than good, as the surface is so com- 

 pacted that evaporation is greatly increased. When water- 

 ing an established lawn the water should be applied with a 

 very fine nozzle and enough applied to wet down to the lower 

 grass roots. If only an inch or two of the surface is wet the 

 grass roots will grow toward the surface and be more injured 

 if dry weather continues. 



LAWN MADE OF TURF 



Where fine, close turf composed of desirable grasses can 

 be obtained, if the area is not very extensive, this is the best 

 way to establish a good lawn. It has the advantage 

 that it may be done with perfect success during the hottest 

 weather, or at any time when the ground can be worked. 

 The land should be as carefully levelled up and settled as 

 for seeding and be made equally rich if the best results 

 are desired, though a turf may be formed in this way on 

 very poor soil, but it will soon run out under such condi- 

 tions. In laying the turf it should be very firmly pounded 

 down and settled into the soft soil under it; otherwise it 

 soon dries up in times of drouth. If turf is not abundant, 

 it may be laid in strips one or two feet apart and the inter- 

 vening space be seeded, when the roots from these strips 

 will spread and a compact turf soon be formed over the 

 whole ground. Turf will grow better if it is laid so that 

 after settling it is J of an inch below the grade, as water is 

 better held and fine soil will soon fill the surface up to 

 the grade. 



Great care must be exercised on a newly seeded lawn that 

 it is not cut up or disfigured by walking over it or allowing 

 teams or animals on its surface. The lawn-mower should 



