March.] FLOWER GARDEN. 305 



The edges of all the grass walks and lawns should now be cut 

 even with an edging-iron, (see page 78) which will add greatly to 

 the general neatness. 



Making Grass- Walks and Laivns. 



The sooner in this month that you can make any grass-walks, 

 lawns, or grass-plats, that may be necessary, the better; as the 

 roots will have time to establish themselves before the great 

 droughts and heats commence. Turf, when it can conveniently be 

 got, is always preferable to sowing grass-seed, but in extensive 

 lawns, the latter, of necessity, must be resorted to. The best turf 

 for those purposes, is that of a close-fed pasture or common, where 

 the sward is tough, and the grass short and tine. 



If you have much to lay, you should be provided with a tur/ing 

 iron. This instrument is formed with an iron plate for the cutter, 

 six or seven inches wide, rounding at the edge, very sharp, and 

 about a foot long, pretty much in the form of a spade; and at the 

 tread, it is forged or connected to a long bent iron handle, the 

 bending so formed as to admit of the plate or cutter resting flat on 

 the ground, in the proper position for flaying the turf; the iron 

 handle at top being either formed like the handle of a spade, or 

 having a socket near the plate to place a crooked wooden and 

 properly headed handle therein. With this instrument, turf can be 

 taken oft' with much more convenience and expedition than with 

 a spade; but when it cannot be conveniently had, a spade may do 

 very well. 



It will also be necessary in order to go completely about your 

 work, to have a racer or sward-cutter. This should have a stout 

 wooden handle, about four feet long and bent a little in the lower 

 end, like a boy's common, having about four or five inches of the 

 point end of an old scythe, placed transversely in the lower extre- 

 mity, with the point downwards, projecting an inch and a half, with 

 the edge forward and made fast in a slit in the handle with a cou- 

 ple of rivets; so that when pushed before you, it may expeditiously 

 cut the sward as you race it along. 



Having this instrument, strain a line tight, first lengthwise, then 

 strike the racer into the sward close to the line, run it along, it will 

 expeditiously cut its way and divide the turf to a proper depth; 

 directly place the line a foot farther, and race it out as before, and 

 so proceed to as manv widths as may be wanted, then with the 

 line placed crosswise, race out the sward in yard lengths. Being 

 thus divided, the turf-cutter with his turfing iron proceeds to cut 

 them up, about an inch and a half thick, which he can do with 

 great expedition; and according as they are cut, each should be 

 rolled up with the grass side inward, as close and firm as possible, 

 for the more ready carrying and removing them without breaking. 



Let the ground\vhere the turf is to be laid, be made as even as 



possible, that it may settle equally thereafter, and rake the surface 



smooth. In laying them, make the edges join close every way, and 



as soon as laid, the whole should be immediately well beaten, with 



2P 



