The Lawtt. 



199 



right sorts, such as will produce a fine-matted turf, such as will endure 

 close and repeated cropping without injury, and such as will produce the 

 desired result as soon as possible. If it were August or early in Septem- 

 ber when the seed were to be sown, there would be little need to provide 

 any protection ; but grass-seed sown in spring is more sure to succeed with 

 the protection afforded by some kind of grain or millet against an excessive 

 drought to which we are liable every year, and therefore we should con- 

 sider it safer to sow some seed along with the grasses. Barley is better 

 for this purpose than oats, and in some respects, perhaps, better than rye. 

 Three pecks of either may be used ; or, if you prefer it, fifteen quarts of 

 millet-seed to the acre. Bear in mind, also, that the grass-seed is to be 

 sown much thicker than would be required for an ordinary seeding-down. 



The following mixture will produce a good sward : One bushel of red- 

 top {Agrostis vulgaris), half a bushel of sweet-scented vernal {Anthoxan- 

 thum odoraium), half a bushel of June grass or Kentucky blue grass I^Poa 

 pratensis), and six pounds of white clover iyTrifolium rcj>ens). These are 

 species that may be obtained fresh from almost any trustworthy seedsman. 

 But, as there is now amjDle time to procure other species by sending abroad 

 forthwith, we would recommend a still more complete list, as follows : Get 

 " fine top " {Agrostis vulgaris fcnuifolia), hard fescue {Festuca duriuscula), 

 crested dogstail {Cynosurus cristatus), sheep's fescue {Fesiuca ovina), yellow 

 oat-grass {Avena Jiavescens), red-top, June-grass, and white clover, as above, 

 and mix them in equal parts by weight as nearly as practicable ; when about 

 four or five bushels so mixed may be sown to the acre. 



If you ask for fine-top here, it is taken from the red-top bin. Most, in- 

 deed all, the above-named grasses are found here, some of them very com- 

 monly ; but there are no pains taken to save them, and so we rely upon 

 importation for the seed. Fine-top is a well-marked variety of red-top, due 

 as much to soil as to any thing. The fescue-grasses are especially adapted 

 to lawns where a fine, close, soft sward is essential ; and crested dog's-tail, a 

 grass very rarely if ever found in this country, is also admirable. We have 

 seen acres of it growing profusely, and forming a large part of a park-turf. 

 Its habit of growth is not very unlike the sweet-scented vernal, so common 

 with us ; and, if it is not easily obtained, the latter may be substituted for it. 



