(2) 



Lawsonia 



good farmyard manure, and thoroughly dig but 

 not trench it. Enough time should then be allowed 

 for the soil to settle, as it must be firm when the 

 seed is sown or the turf laid, or there will be a 

 series of hills and hollows a few months after. In 

 addition to the organic manure, apply the following 

 mixture at the rate of 3 oz. to the square yard, 

 forking it well into the top spit of soil. 



2 Ib. superphosphate of lime."! 



I Mix 



1 Ib. Peruvian guano, or j thoroughly. 



1 11). bone meal. 

 Peruvian gt 



sulphate of ammonia. 



If good turf, free from weeds and coarse Grass, 

 can be had, it is more expeditious to lay turf, but 

 as a rule it is the better plan to sow seeds. A 

 longer time must, of course, elapse before a thick, 

 close sward is obtained, but the ultimate results 

 are more satisfactory. 



To Lay Turf. The turves should be cut of 

 uniform thickness, and if about 3' in length and 

 15" in width they will be convenient to handle. 

 For cartage purposes they are best rolled up, grass 

 side inwards. The surface must be raked free from 

 all stones and rubbish, levelled, and made firm. 

 Lay the turves evenly, so that their edges just meet, 

 then spread over a little fine soil, and brush this 

 into the interstices, and apply the turf beater 

 vigorously. The latter is made of a piece of flat 

 surfaced heavy timber, about 1 square, to 

 which is attached a stout Ash handle. In using 

 the beater, the surface of the head must strike the 

 turf evenly at each stroke. The most suitable 

 period for laying turf is the end of September, but 

 the spring season can also be used. 



Lawns from Seed. A thorough preparation of 

 the surface is necessary, before the seed can be 

 sown. First rake off all loose stones, then, if the 

 surface be still lumpy, spread a 2" layer of 

 fine, light soil, level, roll, and rake again. The 

 best time for sowing is about the beginning of 

 April, for then the soil is beginning to get warm, 

 and the gentle spring rains induce speedy germina- 

 tion. The seed must be procured from a reliable 

 source, otherwise a vexatious crop of weeds will 

 kill out most of the fine Grasses. From 2 Ib. 

 to 2J Ib. of seed will be required per sq. rod 

 (30J sq. yds.), from 3 cwt. to 4 cwt. per acre. 

 Sprinkle the seed evenly over the surface, and roll 

 repeatedly, each rolling being at right angles to 

 the previous one. When completed, the surface of 

 the newly sown lawn should be quite smooth, firm, 

 and free from all hills and holes. 



As a rule it is the best plan to buy a mixture 

 of lawn Grass seeds and Clovers from a reliable 

 firm, stating the position that the lawn is to occupy, 

 whether on high ground and wind swept, or low 

 and sheltered. Special mixtures are required for 

 cricket grounds, where the sward must be close 

 and the Grasses of dwarf and spreading growth, 

 and for golf grounds, where the growth should be 

 erect and springy, so as to lift up the balls. 



The following are. the Grasses and Clovers usu- 

 ally employed in mixtures : 



Cynosurus cristatus (Crested Dog's-tail). 



Festuca duriuscula (Hard Fescue). 



Festuca ovina tenuifolia (Fine-leaved Sheep's 

 Fescue). 



Festuca rubra (Ked Fescue). 



Lolium perenne (Perennial Kye Grass). 



Poa pratensis (Smooth-stalked Meadow Grass). 



Poa trivialis (Rough-stalked Meadow Grass). 



Poa nemoralis (Wood Meadow Grass). 



Trifolium repens (Perennial White or Dutch 

 Clover). 



Trifolium minus (Yellow Suckling). 



In addition to the foregoing, the Yarrow or 

 Milfoil (Achillea Millefolium) is much employed, 

 standing the drought exceedingly well, but it is 

 very coarse growing. It is excellent for town villa 

 gardens. 



To Keep Lawns in Condition. Early in the 

 spring, just as the grass begins to grow, the heavy 

 roller should be passed several times over the 

 ground. Worm casts should be broken up when 

 dry, and rolled in. To get rid of worms, which are 

 often a great nuisance, water with clear lime water 

 in the evening, and pick up the dead worms next 

 morning. Where the surface of tennis lawns and 

 cricket pitches shows signs of crumbling, dress in 

 autumn with powdered clay four parts and chalk dust 

 one part. Do not give more chalk than the quantity 

 mentioned or the surface will be greasy in wet 

 weather. Sheep may be turned out to feed upon 

 the lawn in winter ; the results are usually excellent. 

 To keep the grass well nourished, dress occasionally 

 with the mixture of artificials previously mentioned, 

 at the rate of 3 oz. to the sq. yard. Or give the 

 same quantity of bone meal. Wood ashes and 

 soot, combined or not, make an excellent dressing. 

 All chemicals, including soot, should be applied 

 during showery weather. If soil poverty is the 

 cause of the mossy appearance, scratch off all the 

 moss in autumn with a sharp-toothed iron rake, 

 dress with a good layer of fine, light soil two parts 

 and wood ashes one part, and sow down a little 

 more seed in spring. 



LAWN SAND. 



A proprietary preparation intended as a dress- 

 ing for weedy lawns. It is said to kill all the 

 weeds, and, at the same time, act as a fertiliser 

 upon the finer and close-growing Grasses. There is 

 little doubt that the foliage of broad-leaved weeds 

 is killed, but it is equally true that unless the 

 sand is applied very carefully the Grasses are 

 burnt up as well. Lawn sand should be applied 

 by means of a dredging box ; failing this, an 

 ordinary tin with a few small holes punched in the 

 lid will serve. It should only be applied during 

 dry weather. The burning of the foliage of Docks 

 only checks growth for a time. 



LAWN-SWEEPING MACHINE. 



Amongst the newer mechanical contrivances to 

 assist the gardener is the lawn-sweeping machine, 

 which is of value where long, unbroken stretches 

 of turf have to be swept ; but where .the grass- 

 land is much broken up with shrubberies and 

 specimen trees these machines are of little use. 

 Two sizes are on the market one requiring horse 

 power, the other to be worked by two men. 

 There are four rotary brushes, which pick up all 

 rubbish and deposit it in a receptacle at the back 

 of the machine. When full, a lever is depressed, 

 a flap is opened, and the rubbish is dropped in a 

 heap. The system is the same as that applied to 

 street-sweeping machines. 



LAWSONIA (syn. ALCANNA). 



(Ord. Lythrarieaj). The leaves of alba, powdered 

 and made into a paste, constitute the henna used 

 by Eastern women for dyeing the finger nails orange 

 yellow. 



