LAWNS: MAKING AND UPKEEP 115 



weeds are particularly partial to lawns, one of the worst being the 

 "Elephant's foot" (Elephautopiis scaber). These should be dug up 

 by a spud or "daisy fork ; " or the plants may be killed by dropping 

 poison into their centre. Worm-casts in lawns are particularly 

 objectionable. Yet their presence might be regarded as beneficial 

 rather than otherwise, for worms are the means by which nature 

 manures the grass and drains the surface ; moreover, their presence 

 is a sign of good soil, as their food consists of decayed vegetable 

 matter, which after being digested is ejected in the form well known 

 as worm-castings. Watering the soil with Vaporite, or with a weak 

 solution of ammonia or lime water, will cause the worms to come 

 to the surface, when they should be collected and destroyed. 



Suitable grasses for lawns. As to what constitutes the best 

 grasses for lawns, much depends on climate and load conditions. 



CHAIX-GEAR I.AWX MOWER. 



The " Doob-grass" (Cy notion clactylon) is a favourite for dry regions, 

 as on the plains of India, while the Love-grass or "Tutteri" 

 (Chrysopogon aciculatns) forms excellent turf in the moist low- 

 country, in spite of the objection to it when allowed to flower and 

 seed, owing to its sharp hooked awns which adhere to and pene- 

 trate one's clothes. The ordinary self-formed turf on the lawns in 

 Peradeniya Gardens has been found to consist chiefly of the 

 following : Chrysopogon aciculatns ( " Love-grass " or " Tutteri " ), 

 Ischaemum ciliare ("Rat-tana"), Seiaria glauca ("Kawulu"), 

 Pnniaim sntigiiinale, Sporobuliis tiitiinier. and the clover-like 

 Desmodiiim iriflorum (" Hin-undu-piyali"). Under the shade 

 of trees the principal turf-grasses are Paspalum conjugatutn, 

 Panicum trigonuni, Oplisnienus contposiius and Apluda aristata. The 

 grass known locally as the "Barbadoes Sour grass," and in the 

 Philippines as "Bitter grass" (Paspalum conjugate m), is an 



