2i8 A Chapter on Laxvns. 



periods of wet and drought, it must have a deep soil to extend its roots. 

 We have seen the roots of common clover, in a trenched soil, which had 

 descended to the depth of four feet ! A surface-drought or dry weather has 

 little power over a plant whose little fibres were in the cool, moist under- 

 stratum of that depth ; and a lawn which is well established on thoroughly 

 trenched soil, will remain, even in midsummer, of a fine dark verdure, when 

 upon the same soil, untrenched, every little period of dryness would give a 

 brown and faded look to the turf The most essential point being a deep 

 soil, we need not say, that, in our estimation, any pc^rson about to lay down 

 a permanent lawn, whether of fifty acres or fifty feet square, must provide 

 himself against failure by this groundwork of succcbs. 



" Little plats of ground are easily trenched with the spade. Large lawn- 

 surfaces are only to be managed with the subsoil-plough." I will not fol- 

 low this highly-esteemed and lamented author any farther, word for word, 

 but state a few important particulars. The autumn or early winter is the 

 best time to prepare the ground ; the whole surface to be entirely cleared 

 of the smallest stone. IVLinure, if necessary, should be applied while sub- 

 soiling. Very rich soil is not desirable, as it causes a strong and coarse 

 growth ; the soil to be good, and not rich. If the land is ver)' light and 

 sandy, a mixture of loam or clay is recommended. As early in the 

 spring as it is in a friable, working condition, stir it lightly with the plough 

 and harrow, and make the surface smooth as possible : we do not mean 

 level ; for, if the ground is not a flat, nothing is so agreeable as gentle swells 

 or undulations. But quite smooth the surface must be. 



" Now for the sowing ; and here a farmer would advise you to ' seed down 

 with oats,' or some such agricultural precept. Do not listen to Iiim for a 

 moment. What you desire is a close turf; and therefore sow nothing but 

 grass : and do not suppose you are going to assist a weak-growing plant 

 by sowing along with it a coarser-growing one to starve it. 



" Choose, if possible, a calm day, and sow your seed as evenly as you 

 can. The seed to be sown is a mixture of red-top {Agrostis vulgaris) and 

 white clover {Trifolium repens), which are hardy, short grasses, and, on tJie 

 whole, make the best and most enduring lawn for this climate. The propor- 

 tion should be about three-fourths red-top to one-fourth clover. The seed 

 should be perfectly clean. Then sow four bushels of it to the acre ; not a 



