296 THE PLEASURE, OR [MARCI: 



Clean the Pleasure Garden. 



Every part of this garden should be now well cleaned and put 

 into the best order. Give the flower borders, beds, &c. a general 

 spring dressing, by digging, hoeing, and raking ; let the edgings 

 of box, &c. be regulated, where disorderly, and the gravel-walks be 

 well cleared from weeds and litter, and occasionally rolled. 



Keep the grass lawns, walks, &c. now well cleared from litter 

 and worm-cast earth, which appears unsightly, and spoils the com- 

 pact evenness of the sward : give them, therefore, occasional roll- 

 ings with u heavy roller, whereby to preserve a clean, even, firm 

 surface, neat to appearance, and that can be mowed close and regu- 

 lar with greater facility. 



The edges of all the grass walks and lawns, should now be cut 

 even with an edging-iron, (see page 70) which will add greatly toi 

 the general neatness. 



Making Grass+Walks and Lawns. 



The sooner in this month that you can make any grass-walks, 

 lawns, or grass-plats, that may be necessary, the better ; as the 

 roots will have time to establish themselves, before the great 

 droughts and heats commence. Turf, when it can conveniently be 

 got, is always preferable to sowing grass-seed, but in extensive lawns, 

 the latter, of necessity, must be resorted to. The best turf for 

 those purposes, is that of a close-fed pasture or common, Where 

 the sward is tough, and the grass short and fine. 



If you have much to lay, you should be provided with a turjing- 

 iron. This instrument is formed with an iron plate for the cutter* 

 six or seven inches wide, rounding at the edge, very sharp, and 

 about a foot long, pretty much in the form of a spade ; and at the 

 tread, it is forged or connected to a long bent iron handle, the bend- 

 ing so formed as to admit of the plate or cutter resting flat on the 

 ground, in the proper position for flaying the turf; the iron handle 

 at top being either formed like the handle of a spade, or having a 

 socket near the plate to place a crooked wooden and properly head- 

 ed handle therein. With this instrument, turf can be taken oft> 

 with much more convenience and expedition, than with a spade ; 

 but when it cannot be conveniently had, a spade may do very welL 



It will also be necessary in order to go completely about your 

 work, to have a racer or sward-cutter. This should have a stout 

 wooden handle, about four feet long and bent a little in the lower 

 end, like a boys common ; having about four or five inches of the 

 point end of an old sythe, placed transversely in the lower extremity, 

 with the point downwards, projecting an inch and a half, with 

 the edge forward and made fast in a slit in the handle, with a couple 

 of rivets ; so that when pushed before you, it may expeditiously cut 

 the sward as you race it along. 



Having this instrument, strain a line tight, first lengthways, then 

 strike the racer into the swarcl close to the line, run it along, it will 



