LAYING TUEF. KINDS OP GEASS. SPERaULA. 13 



Spergula pilifera forms a moss-like carpet, which is 

 said by many to be better than grass for a lawn. "Where 

 it takes well, it maintains a bright uniform green; in 

 shade, where grass often will not thrive, it does well, and 

 on hot sunny banks it will do with watering. It has the 

 advantage of not requiring mowing, and its pretty little 

 white flowers are very fragrant, and are great favourites 

 with bees. The surface to be planted with it should be 

 manured, and then prepared as for another lawn, and 

 gently rolled. Break up the spergula turf into bits two 

 inches square, or rather less ; plant the bits two inches 

 apart, roll the ground and give one good watering. Keep 

 the surface weeded, roll it once a week, and when it has 

 taken, it may now and then have a watering with liquid 

 manure. It may be grown from seed. It is especially 

 good for small lawns, borders, and banks. The Messrs. 

 Carter, of Holborn, sell the turf in small quantities, 2^. 

 for enough to plant a square yard, and, I believe, charge 

 less for a large surface. They supply the seed also. 



The soil of the beds must be made according to the 

 use to which they are to be devoted. The productive 

 earth forming the beds should be about three feet in 

 depth. Clay imparts tenacity, sand gives lightness, and 

 chalk and lime have an intermediate effect. The due 

 mingling of these earths may render heavy soils more 

 friable and light soils more retentive. The constant 

 addition of animal and vegetable manures is continually 

 altering the quality of earth under cultivation, and the 

 different proportions of it and of the different kinds of 

 earth must form the constant study of the floriculturist. 

 A light loam, greatly enriched with decayed vegetable 

 matter, is an excellent soil for the flower garden ; b)ut as 

 various plants differ in their likings and requirements, 

 no set rule can be given. Planting the garden, and 

 modifying the soil, so that the vegetation may like 

 its position, and the position suit the plants, are two 

 things which must accommodate themselves to each 

 other. In laying out and planting we must consider for 

 what the situation and capabilities of the garden are 

 suited, to the end that our work may turn out a credit 



