GRA 



G R A 



on the Laurel. All the mast-bearing trees are 

 also found to take upon each other, and those 

 which have a tender soft wood do well if grafted 

 in the common way ; but such as are of a firm 

 contexture, and are slow growers, must be graft- 

 ed by approach. 



It is likewise by this method that many kinds 

 of exotic trees are not only propagated, but also 

 rendered hardy enough to endure the cold of our 

 climate in the open air ; as by being grafted upon 

 stocks of the same sort which are hardy, the 

 grafts are rendered more capable of enduring 

 the cold. 



GRAINS OF PARADISE. SeeAiaoMUM. 



GRASS-GROUND, the parts of ornamented 

 grounds which are kept in the state of short Grass 

 or sward. Those spaces which are extended in the 

 fronts of the houses or habitations, and are termed 

 lawns, are mostly kept in short grass, which 

 by their constant verdure, summer and winter, 

 -and open rural appearance, exhibit a fine imita- 

 tion ofnalure at all seasons, especially when the 

 side-boundaries terminate in rural plantations in 

 various natural curves and bendings. This mode 

 of laying out pleasure-grounds prevails much at 

 present. But besides these, it is the practice to 

 have rural short Grass openings continued be- 

 tween the plantations throughout the different 

 districts of grounds of this sort, separating and 

 bounding the shrubbery clumps, borders, and 

 other parts, in some places widely spreading, in 

 others more contracted ; but, in either case, ex- 

 tending to the boundaries of the several plantation 

 compartments, in various bendings, sweeps, and 

 curves; by which the whole is rendered rurally 

 ornamental, and at the same time more agree- 

 able and easy to walk on than gravel between the 

 plantations when the weather is dry and hot 

 during the summer season. In the antient style 

 of gardening, it was much the custom to have 

 straight short Grass-walks, both for ornament and 

 common walkingupon: butior ornament, unless 

 elegantly wide and spacious, they have a littleness 

 in their general appearance, as may be seen where 

 Jong narrow slips of short Grass-Ground are ex- 

 tended to some distance, in the way of walks ; 

 and for the latter purpose thev are very improper 

 in winter and all moist weather ; and even in 

 summer in the mornings and evenings, as being 

 always damp and dewy. Walks of this kind 

 ihou'ld therefore be but sparingly introduced; 

 and where any are made for variety, ornament, 

 or summer's walking, they should be as spaci- 

 ous as the situation admits, not less than from 

 ten to fifteen feet wide, and even twenty feet 

 wide or more, when the walk is considerably 

 extended in length. 



The method of forming short Grass-Ground 



work, is either by sowing the parts with Grass 

 seedsjorbylayingthem with turf, cut from a fine 

 field, common or down; the latter of which, 

 where it can be obtained at a moderate expense, 

 is greatly preferable, as it not only at once forms 

 a complete sward, but is generally more close, 

 even, and smooth, as well as less apt to run up 

 to benty Grass, grow rank, or rise in tufts, than 

 by the sowing method. 



In preparing the ground either for sowing 

 Grass seeds upon or laying with turf, the whole 

 must be broken up equally to a moderate spade 

 deep, clearing out all roots of perennial weeds 

 and other coarse materials. When this has 

 been done, stakes or wooden pegs, with notches, 

 for marking the level, according to the position of 

 the ground, must be driven in ; then proceed with 

 line and spade to rough- level the ground ac- 

 cording to the marks or levels on the pegs, after- 

 wards treading, rolling, or ramming the whole 

 down equally, that it may no where sink in hollows 

 afterwards. When this has been finished, the 

 levels should be wrought off more accuratelv, 

 and the w hole finished with a neat raking, clear- 

 ing off all large stones, and making an even and 

 smooth surface ; in this state, it may either be 

 sown with grass seed, or laid with turf. 



For the first method, the proper seasons for 

 sowing are either February, March, and April, 

 or in August or September, in moist weather. 

 In moist wet soils the former is probably the 

 best, but in those of a dry gravelly nature, the 

 latter. In this business it is of the utmost con- 

 sequence to procure good seeds; those from 

 hay-stacks or out of hay-lofts are often used, 

 which may answer well, where the hay was the 

 growth of some fine pasture free from weeds, 

 and naturally afforded fine turf when grazed and 

 mowed ; but in other cases, there is often a 

 mixture of various sorts with weeds, by which 

 the sward is rendered irregular and foul, and 

 never makes handsome short Grass-Ground. If 

 you are not furnished with seedsof yourown, thev 

 may be obtained from the seedsmen, and should 

 be ofthose kinds which strike deep root, spread 

 out laterally in their tops, are permanent, and* 

 capable of resisting the effects of heat ; there are 

 many of this kind. The seed must be sown 

 broad-east, very thick and regular over the sur- 

 face, and directly raked or harrowed in; and 

 when the surface is dry, it should be rolled with a 

 wooden roller, to bury the seeds more effectually 

 and make a smooth surface; when the grabs 

 comes up, all weeds should be removed ; *and 

 the same season, when the sward is become 

 thick and green, and advanced some inches in 

 growth, it should be mowed, rolling it well 

 afterwards, and continue mowing it and rol!in» 

 3H 



