G4 Editorial Miscellany. 



To GET a tliick fine turf for tlae lawn is a paramount object in rural 

 husbandry. L. Durand, a gentleman residing at Derby, Ct., sends us 

 tbe following method of procedure to secure this ultimatum : 



" Every farm and country house shoiild be surrounded by a well kept 

 ' lawn.' Of course this refreshing ' oasis' of green will vary in size, re- 

 spectively, according to the circumstances of the proprietor, and amount 

 of taste for the luxurious ; whose object is simply a visual gratification — 

 but in no case in the country should a lawn be limited to less than an acre 

 in extent, and from that up to five, ten, twenty, and even fifty acres ; in 

 the larger town and village it may be from a quarter to half an acre in 

 size. The object is now to get this down to permanent grass. After the 

 requisite gradings have been completed, the ground should be trenched to 

 the depth of at least two feet. This should be performed on small grounds 

 with a spade, on lands comprising a number of acres, economy would sub- 

 stitute the sub-soil plow for this work of preparation. One important 

 matter we would particularly call attention to, that is in grounds of con- 

 siderable extent, to leave the naturally diversified sur&ce of the land re- 

 main, unless the acclivities are inharmonious and acute, these may be 

 ameliorated by a shght reduction ; knolls and graceful undulations are in 

 themselves important features of beauty. After the ground has been pul- 

 verized to the required degree of fineness by plowing, harrowing, and 

 rolhnir, the grass seed should be sown, which for lawns, a mixture of 

 red-top, white clover, Kentucky blue grass, and sweet scented Kinal grass 

 will make a good variety for securing a tight velvety sward. These seeds 

 should be thoroughly mixed together, and put in with a generous hand, 

 at the rate of a bushel and a half to two bushels the acre. Where no 

 grain is sown with the grass the latter quantity will be imperative to the 

 production of a thick growth, as some lee-way must be estimated for seed 

 that in all instances dies out. It is all-important to have the seed get a 

 good ' catch,' otherwise a luxurious, even turf cannot be reahzed. The 

 subsequent culture will consist mostly in cutting away the grass frequent- 

 ly, once a fortnight, dining the rapid growing sea.son. This should be 

 done with a short ' lawn scythe,' as repeated cuttings materially thicken 

 the grass and hastens the desired objects, viz : a turf that will afford a 

 romping place for both small and large children, without resulting injuri- 

 ously to the trodden grass. In very extensive grounds the grass could be 

 fed off by sheep. If danger to other vegetation is apprehended, portable 

 hurdle fences may be used, affording quite a romantic and picturesque ef- 

 fect, aside from the utility of the construction." 



