470 MaJiagement of Grass Lawns. 



which is often used, " in good heart ;" otherwise it will, by per-^ 

 petual cutting, soon become impoverished,, and a mossy surface 

 will shortly make its appearance. I am aware that there are 

 some who prefer this; but I conceive the perfection of a lawn 

 does not consist in its being composed of a bed of moss, how- 

 ever pleasant it may be to walk^upon ; the beautiful verdure of 

 grass is far more attractive, and, when in good order, is in far 

 better keeping with the walks and shrubbery adjoining : but, to 

 secure this, manure is occasionally necessary; and, the richer it is, 

 the less quantity of it, when applied, will be wanted, and the finer 

 it is in its component parts the better, so that by a few strokes 

 with the broom it may disappear. I should recommend this 

 operation to take place late in the autumn, when the scythe has 

 been laid by, and prior to it that the garden rake be used in 

 scratching over the surface, so as to admit the manure the more 

 readily to incorporate itself with the soil. In about a fortnight 

 after the manure has been applied, the roller may be employed 

 to restore all to its former level. It may not be amiss to observe, 

 that the manure used should be as free from the seeds of weeds 

 as possible. I know of no manure more efficacious, in proportion 

 to the quantity used, nor that will impart a greater degree of 

 energy to the soil, than soot, which, being perfectly free from 

 seeds of any kind, may be applied with great advantage when 

 used with caution, and it will produce a most beautiful ver- 

 dure. Soot is also an antidote against the worms, and will in a 

 great measure supersede the necessity of using lime water. 



In laying down a lawn either by turfing or sowing, the direc- 

 tions given in your Mncyc. of Gardening are quite sufficient; I 

 therefore will only add, that, in cases of a gravelly surface, and 

 where excavation is necessary, it should be done in such a man- 

 ner as to give an equal depth of soil over the whole, and that 

 the soil should be of an equal quality, as otherwise the grass will 

 be of unequal growth, which will render it impossible to preserve 

 in it that uniformity of appearance which is necessary to render 

 it pleasing to the eye. 



The hints here given are intended rather for the suburban 

 and other villas, than for places upon a large scale, where the 

 lawns are so extensive, as to render it impracticable to carry 

 them into effect, unless at an expense beyond what most persons, 

 however rich, would be inclined to go to in this branch of orna- 

 mental gardening. 



Portland Place ^ June, 1835. 



[The finer lawns on the Continent are watered on the surface in 

 the evenings of the hotter summer months. In our next Number 

 a mode of underground irrigation suitable for gardens, and especi- 

 ally for arboretums, will be suggested, which may probably also 

 answer for lawns.] 



