DECEMBER. 



73i 



DECEMBER. 



a busy and this a comparatively leisure 

 reason, the hardiest evergreens, such as 

 laurels, &c., may be pruned now ; any, 

 however, that require cutting down had 

 better be left till thai period. In pruning, 

 it may be said that there are three leading 

 purposes, namely, to improve the shape, 

 curtail size, and to induce a profusion of 

 bloom or fruitfulness. The first is entirely 

 a matter of taste ; the second of space ; 

 and the third the primary object for which 

 all flowering shrubs and trees are cultivated. 

 The two first are entirely effected by prun- 

 ing the top ; the last is more effectually 

 secured by cutting in the roots. This latter 

 does not necessarily, however, supersede 

 the former ; often both may proceed simul- 

 taneously with advantage. One of the chief 

 points in the management of shrubberies is 

 so to prune them and cut down the plants 

 as always to preserve a dense thick bottom. 

 Turf Laying on Lawns, &c. November 

 is the best month in the whole year to lay 

 turf, but the work may be done very nearly 

 as well in December. Old common is the 

 best possible place from which to pro- 

 cure it. The most convenient dimensions 

 for turf are a yard long, a foot wide, and 

 an inch thick. This, wound up in rolls, is 

 the best size for carting, unwinding, &c. 

 The ordinary price for small quantities, 

 purchased and delivered, is id. per turf, or 

 3d. per square yard, but it can be taken up 

 at this size at the rate of 8d. per hundred. 



Thus, enough to cover 100 square yards 

 will only cost 2s. for removal. After all 

 the improvement in lawn grasses, there is 

 no plan of covering a lawn equal to turfing 

 it over ; a good, solid, smooth surface is 

 secured at once. Under the most favourable 

 circumstances, three or four years must 

 elapse before the same point could be 

 reached by sowing. All that is necessary 

 is to make the surface of the required 

 shape, unroll the turf, placing the pieces 

 close together, beat it firmly down, and 

 frequently roll it, and the work is 

 finished. 



Turfing by Inoculation, The next best 

 method of covering ground with grass is 

 what is termed inoculation. Pieces of turf 

 are torn, not cut, into pieces say 2 inches 

 square and thrown on to the ground, 

 leaving interstices of the same distance, 

 or less or more, between them. Grass 

 seed is then sown over the ground, and 

 the whole firmly beaten down. It is 

 astonishing how soon a splendid turf is 

 thus formed. 



Winter Management of Shrubberies. 

 The digging, pointing, top dressing, and 

 cleaning of Id shrubberies should also be 

 proceeded with, the turf frequently swept 

 and rolled, the gravel kept scrupulously 

 clean, and every possible thing done to 

 make this outside winter garden attractive 

 and useful during the bleak winter and 

 spring months. 



