12 Gardening in Egypt. 



beaters until a uniform level surface is obtained. If 

 the grass is a little long in places, it will be advisable 

 to go over it with the mowing-machine at once, 

 and any high places beaten down. Beating should 

 never be done when the grass is w r et, or great damage 

 by bruising the turf will be the result. 



After the first watering, a slight dressing of manure 

 should from time to time be spread over the lawn. 

 This will fill up any joins in the turves, and encourage 

 the new grass to grow. 



If lawns of this kind are made in February or 

 March, and frequently watered, a beautiful dark green 

 surface can be obtained in a fortnight. 



For hot, sandy places near the sea, lawns of Neguil 

 answer admirably, but they require to be cut and 

 rolled, at least once a week during the summer 

 months, and watered frequently, especially if they are 

 required for tennis courts or other useful purposes, and 

 the lawns should never be made under the shade of trees. 



Owing to the increase on the demand during the 

 last year for permanent grass lawns, some difficulty 

 has been experienced in securing a sufficient quantity 

 of suitable turf in the neighbourhood of Ramleh, and 

 lawns are now being made from the seed of the 

 same grass, which should be treated in a similar way 

 to the lawn grass seed ; but the dressing of manure 

 should not be given until after the seed has germi- 

 nated, and water must be put on lightly so as not 

 to wash the seed into heaps. May is perhaps the 

 best time for sowing, and with attention to weeding 

 and watering a good lawn can be obtained in a 

 month or six weeks. 



Flower Beds. The system of watering the garden 

 by means of irrigation naturally necessitates low flower- 

 beds and borders ; but where the water can be given 

 by the hose this need not be strictly adhered to. 

 Slightly raised beds enable the plants to be seen to a 

 much better advantage, and beds of this kind on 

 undulated lawns always have a good effect. 



