LUTHER BURBANK 



unsightly, but these are readily cut away, leaving 

 a smooth velvety surface. These long runners 

 could be wholly prevented by cutting through the 

 plant diagonally at intervals of about two inches 

 with a machine similar to a strawberry runner 

 cutter, but with several blades. 



The real difficulty that stands in the way of the 

 general introduction of the lippias as lawn plants 

 of altogether exceptional quality, however, is their 

 relative tenderness to frost. If selections result 

 in producing a hardy lippia, the plant will be wel- 

 comed everywhere, as it is already coming to be 

 welcomed in the warmer regions as one that solves 

 the problem of a lawn that will require practically 

 no attention, and yet maintain its greenness even 

 in long periods of summer drought. It must be 

 added, however, that during the wintertime it 

 turns brownish, and at that season it is not quite 

 as ornamental as a bluegrass lawn. 



Until the lippia is further developed for hardi- 

 ness, however, it could not be used except in the 

 milder climates, and in the cold regions the blue- 

 grass and other allied grasses and the clovers must 

 be depended on for making lawns. 



Meantime there are two of the new varieties of 

 lippias that have been introduced, and that are 

 rapidly making their way in California. One of 

 these, named Dixie, makes a most beautiful dark- 



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