GRASS AS A FOUNDATION IO9 



upon heavy land. It may be growing upon 

 too thin a soil, and we should find it water- 

 logged in winter and scorched in summer. 

 Moreover, it may be full of undesirable weeds, 

 and infested with insects ready to migrate to 

 our beds and borders. On the other hand, 

 we may be lucky in lighting upon some rich 

 meadowland in which the conditions are favour- 

 able to the growth of good turf, and where 

 thistles and other noxious weeds are conspicu- 

 ous by their absence. In such case we may 

 "leave well alone," and rejoice that we are 

 saved the trouble and expense of further opera- 

 tions. Should we be driven back upon one 

 of the other two expedients, we must make our 

 choice according to the local conditions. 

 Which is the more economical in cost, turf 

 or seed? This problem we may work out for 

 ourselves when we know the cost of turf in 

 our district. We may be able to get it for the 

 labour cost of cutting it, and, if it is near at 

 hand, the total cost may be small. But we 

 may have to pay for our turfs at current rates, 

 usually about twenty or twenty-five cents for 

 turfs of three feet by one foot. About thirty- 

 six hundred and thirty turfs would be required 



