FORMATION AND RENOVATION OF LAWNS. 117 



FORMATION 



RENOVATION OF LAWNS. 



BY PETER HENDERSON. 



(Read before the National Convention of Nurserymen, Florists, 

 and Seedsmen, held at St. Louis, Mo., June 2Oth, 1883.) 



WE not unfrequently see, after a dwelling costing 

 $5,000, $10,000, $20,000, or $30,000 is erected, that the 

 grounds surrounding it are left to the tender mercy of 

 some ignorant pretender to grade and put in shape. The 

 educated, intelligent architect's duties in many cases end 

 with the completion of the building, and the "garden 

 architect " (likely some pretentious laborer) is installed 

 to grade for the lawn; and a common consequence is, 

 that the beauty of the place may be forever marred; for 

 this matter really in many cases requires as much intel- 

 ligence and good judgment as the construction of the 

 dwelling itself. 



DRAINING AND GRADING. 



One of the first conditions for a perfect lawn is, that 

 the land be perfectly drained either naturally or artifi- 

 cially. If the subsoil is sand or gravel, so that water can 

 quickly pass through it, then there will be no need for 

 artificial drains; but if there is a stratum of adhesive 

 clay for a subsoil, then drains are indispensable every 



