TUR 



I 801 ] 



TUR 



regular than can he obtained under the 

 best circumstances from seed. All the 

 preparation of the soil required is to dig it 

 level a spade deep, provided the subsoil 

 is open, otherwise to have a good drainage 

 effected (see DRAINING) ; to have all large 

 stones removed from the surface, and to 

 have it brought to a perfect level by re- 

 peated rollings, and filling up the hollows 

 when necessary, as indicated by the level. 

 The surface being then loosened by 

 raking is ready for the seed or turf. 



By Seed. See GRASS. 



By Turf. The season for laying turf 

 is any time from September till April or 

 May, though it will grow at almost any 

 time of the year, even if there is occasion 

 to lay it in summer, and dry weather 

 succeed ; for although it will open at the 

 joints, and turn brown, as if dead, yet 

 after the first rain it will close again, and 

 resume its verdure. The turf for this 

 Tise is cut with an iron instrument called 

 a turfing iron, observing to cut the pieces 

 all an equal width, length, and thickness 

 the proper size is a foot wide, a yard long, 

 and about an inch thick; they should be 

 first marked by line the proper width, 

 length, and depth, with a racer orrutter ; 

 racing them first longwise a foot wide, 

 then across in yard lengths ; then pro- 

 ceed to cut them up, having particular 

 regard to cut them level, and equal in 

 thickness, otherwise it will be impossible 

 to lay them level. As you cut, a man or 

 boy should roll each turf up close and 

 tight, the grass side inwards, and pile 

 them up by tens, especially if they are 

 cut by the hundred. If they are cut by 

 the hundred, the price is from sixpence 

 to a shilling, according to the nature of 

 the soil, whether soft and easy to cut, or 

 bard, or stony. A man will cut from three 

 to five, six, or seven hundred in a day, or 

 more, if very soft, easy-cutting turf, and 

 having a person to race them out and 

 roll them up, turf and turf, as they are 

 cut. They are to be laid regularly, turf 

 and turf, unrolling them as you lay them, 

 joining them up quite close, edge to edge, 

 making good all deficiency of broken 

 parts as you go on ; and, as soon as laid, 

 it should be well beaten with broad, heavy, 

 wooden beaters, made of flat pieces of 

 elm or oak plank, two inches thick, fifteen 

 or eighteen inches lo&g, and a foot broad, 

 having a long handle fixed slanting in 

 the middle of the upper side ; and with 

 -these beat the grass regularly all over, 



and then roll it well with a heavy roller,, 

 observing that the beating and rolling 

 should be repeated in moist weather. If 

 very dry, hot weather succeeds, so as to 

 occasion the turf to shrink and open at 

 the joints, a good watering will be of 

 much advantage. 



By Inoculation. If turf is scarce, cut 

 turves into pieces, about three inches 

 square, and plant these, green side up, 

 pretty thickly over the space intended 

 for the lawn. Beat them down into the 

 soil, and water freely ; roll frequently, and 

 water also in dry weather. The turf will 

 soon be as close, and the sward as perfect, 

 as if the ground had been entirely turved, 



TURF ASHES. See ASHES. 



These, which are the basis of charred 

 turf, now becoming so usual a manure, 

 are, according to M. Spreugel, thus con- 

 stituted : 



Silica ...... 93.10 



Alumina ...... 1.35 



Oxide of iron . . . .1.73 



manganese. . . 0.32 



Lime ...... 0.62 



Magnesia ...... 0.33 



Potash, combined with sulphuric 



acid 0.33 



Common salt . . 0.08 

 Sulphuric acid, combined with pot- 

 ash and lime . . . ^ . 1.70 

 Phosphoric acid, combined with 

 lime and magnesia . . . 0.39 



TUEF TOOLS are the Racer or Rutter % 

 for cutting the edges of turf after it has 

 been laid, and for cutting the outlines of 

 the turves when first obtained. It is ? 

 thin, sharp-edged implement, somewhat 

 resembling a cheese- cutter, fixed to a 

 handle about four feet long. 



* . .' <m 



The Turfing Iron is for raising or 



peeling off the turves from the soil. It 

 has an arrow-headed, flat blade, with an 

 angular handle. 



A Turf or Daisy Rake consists of a 

 piece of thin plate iron cut into teeth, 

 with two slips of ash, or other tough, 

 wood, between which it is firmly riveted 

 to form a back, and keep it from bending. 

 When put together, the back is an inch 

 and a quarter thick. The wood is bevelled 



