84 SATURDAY IN MY GARDEN 



the lawn on a mild day, and afterwards watered in. It drives the 

 worms to the surface, where they die, and may then be swept away. 



In laying turf which, if it has been properly cut, will be in 

 lengths of three feet by one foot the great essential is to ensure 

 that they are neatly fitted together, edge to edge. It is a good 

 plan to examine each turf carefully before fixing it in position, 

 and to remove weeds. If a temporary bench be erected on the 

 side path the turf can be opened out on it, and the weeds be 

 cut out with an old knife. The adoption of this suggestion will 

 save a great deal of hard, back-aching work later on. Avoid, if 

 possible, walking directly on the levelled soil while laying the 

 turves. This can be prevented by using a plank on which to 

 stand and moving it backwards as the work proceeds. So that 

 neat edgings may be secured, allow the turves at the extremities 

 of the rows to overlap slightly, and when the whole lawn has 

 been laid go round the edges with an edging-iron and cut them 

 carefully, so that they are straight and even. As each section of a 

 yard or so in width is completed, the turves should be beaten 

 level with a turf-beater a heavy, flat piece of wood into which 

 a stout handle has been obliquely fixed. Later on the roller may be 

 brought into use, and thereafter it should be constantly employed, 

 weather permitting. The grass should not be rolled in one direc- 

 tion only, but at right angles and transversely in turn. This 

 will help to make it set firmly, will assist in keeping the lawn 

 level, and will help materially in the production of close-growing 

 and firmly-rooted grass. 



The subsequent care of the lawn, whether it be seed-sown or 

 turf-laid, will demand unremitting attention. Not a few people 

 appear to imagine that to keep the grass mown close during the 

 summer months is all the attention it needs to preserve it in con- 

 dition. There could be no greater fallacy. Grass is a gross 

 feeder, and soon exhausts the natural nutriment in the soil. 

 Therefore it is necessary by artificial methods to supply the 

 deficiency. 



This is best accomplished by means of a top-dressing of some 

 kind of fertiliser. In the autumn it is a good "plafTto spread a 



