70 



THE FLOWER GROWER'S GUIDE. 



siderable distance from where it is fixed, enabling those using it to ascertain the 

 rise and fall of the ground. Excellent substitutes for this instrument, and more 

 easily understood, are an ordinary straight-edge, spirit-level, and borning-rods. The 

 first-named may be of white deal, or other wood not given to warp, 8 feet in length, 

 5 inches deep, and not less than 1 inch thick, with the edges perfectly square. The 

 borning-rods (Fig. 36) are usually about 4 feet long, and used for levelling irregular 

 slopes. As a rule, the levels are taken from the house, when this overlooks a lawn. 



During the process of levelling and forming lawns, there is always the risk of bury- 

 ing much of the best surface soil, and baring that of a poorer character. A very rich, 

 deep soil is undesirable, as promoting a rank growth of grass ; but if the other extreme 

 is reached, a good sward will never be had. In the process of 

 aElff'jWi^ levelling, every barrow-load of surface soil should be saved, filling 

 up inccpialities with the poor subsoil. All bared spaces ought 

 to be broken up deeply with a fork or sj)ade, and have good 

 soil spread over them to a depth of 6 to 9 inches. Light, dry 

 soils may be improved by the addition of clayey loam, and very 

 retentive ground should have light soil mixed with it. All 

 must be made firm, and the greater the depth of moved soil 

 the more need for extra care in solidifying it. The rammers 

 must be kept going as each layer is added, surface patting being 

 quite inadequate for compression. 



In the case of terraces, croquet lawns, tennis courts, cricket 

 rig. 36. BoENiNG-EoE. Patches, and bowling greens, a good supply of wooden pegs, in 

 addition to the straight-edge and spirit-level, will be needed. 

 First decide upon the level, driving in a peg to a depth for the top to correspond 

 with it. From this other pegs may be inserted at G feet to 8 feet apart, deter- 

 mining the exact height at which to leave them by means of the straight-edge and 

 spirit-level, the former resting on a peg that has already been adjusted, and another 

 that is to be driven in. When the air in the tube of the spirit-level is exactly 

 in the centre both pegs are on a plane, and in this way a whole series, or to the full 

 length and width of a terrace or other ground, can be brought to one level. The 

 next proceeding is to lower the soil in places where it is already higher than the pegs 

 driven in, and to raise it to the tops of the pegs, where these protrude, bringing the 

 surrounding space up to the same level, after which all the pegs may be drawn, and 



