102 nOW TO GROW GOOD GHASSES. 



CHAPTER XVI. 



ON THE MANAGEMENT OF LAWNS. 



The homes of our fair country are so much beautified 

 by our nicely-shaven lawns, which nowhere are so 

 green and smooth as in " Merrye Englande," that a 

 few words upon their management can hardly be 

 out of place in a treatise on grasses ; we would, 

 therefore, direct attention to the following questions 

 connected with the maintenance of lawns in a good 

 condition. 



1. Lawns should have grasses which combine the 

 finest possible leaf-growth with a capability of restor- 

 ing growth and colour under constant cutting. 



2. Lawns should be entirely free from plants 

 other than grasses, unless we except the Dutch 

 clover. 



3. Lawn grasses should possess the property of 

 intimately weaving one with the other. 



4. After cutting, they should grow as near the 

 same height as possible. 



1. Fine Lawn Grasses. — The annexed engraving 

 {Festuca ovina) represents one of our finest-leaved 

 grasses ; it is one, too, that will even bear the constant 

 nibbling of sheep without losing either its vitality or 

 its colour. This, and a larger variety called the F. 

 durmscula, are two forms of this genus well adapted 

 for lawns. 



If to these wc add the Lolimn perenne, Poa pra- 



