62 



Many other plants are often used for edgings, but there 

 is nothing that makes so neat and trim an edging as box. 



It is a good time to clip old box edgings in June. They 

 should never be suffered to grow tall, but be kept down low. 



It is best to give some protection to box in the winter, by 

 coarse litter, or by throwing up a few inches of the fine 

 gravel on one side and the earth of the border on the other. 



ON LAAVNS. 



ISTo flower-garden can be complete without some grass. 

 There are but very few, however, wlio can afford the 

 luxury of an extensive lawn ; but every one wishes for a 

 few rods, at least, about the house ; this may lie between 

 the house and garden. When there is but a small surface 

 to grass over, it may be done with turf, if it can be ob- 

 tained of a good quality, Avliich is not often the case. The 

 best w^ay is to begin at the beginning, and do the work 

 up thoroughly. First, see tliat the ground is well prepared 

 by deep digging or trenching ; for it is in vain to expect 

 the lawn to preserve its greenness in summer, unless the 

 soil is pulverized so that the roots of the grass may pene- 

 trate two feet deep. After the soil is thus j^i'cpared and 

 levelled, it should be left to settle a week or ten days ; 

 then it is to be raked off smooth, and it will be ready for 

 the seed. The New England Red-top, or Bent-grass, alone, 

 makes the finest lawn for this climate ; but if it is desirable 

 to give innnediate effect to the lawn, there sliould be a 

 mixture of White Clover. Three bushels of Red-top to ten 

 pounds of White Clover, or four bushels of Red-tojD without 

 it, is none too much for an acre. This may seem a heavy 

 seeding, but it is none too much. After sowing the seed, 

 it should be rolled with a heavy roller. 



To have a fine lawn, it is necessary not only to mow it 

 often, but roll it also, especially after a rain. By doing 

 thus, a close texture and fine velvety turf may be obtained. 



