388 



HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 



subject as regards trees in general. There can 

 be little doubt that, in the case of a tree that 

 has been for some years trained to a wall, in the 

 event of its being transplanted, the surface ex- 

 posed to the sun should be again so placed ; 

 the back of its stem and branches being inured 

 to exposure ; while that which has been shaded 

 and placed next the wall would be liable, from 

 its greater tenderness, to suffer not only from 

 sun-strokes, but from the effects of severe frost 

 also. Whether this precaution be absolutely 

 indispensable, as regards trees in general, admits 

 of some doubt : one thing is evident, that an 

 adherence to the rule can in no case be injuri- 

 ous, and may be easily effected by marking the 

 side of the tree, that faced the south with a 

 piece of chalk, or by tying a strand of matting 

 round it, the knot of which will indicate the 

 particular side of the tree. 



Transplanting turf. — Turf is transplanted, or, 

 as it is in general called, laid, for the purpose 

 of forming grass verges, and for covering whole 

 lawns, and often for repairing blanks in both. 

 The whole art of turf-laying consists in render- 

 ing the ground upon which it is to be placed 

 both level and of equal solidity, that it may not 

 settle into holes or inequalities. Much of the 

 success in both these depends on the quality of 

 the turf procurable ; that from old sheep-pas- 

 tures composed of the dense and low-growing 

 perennial grasses, and completely free of all 

 other plants, and from a rich loamy soil, is to 

 be preferred. The turf should be cut, for the 

 former purpose, of a breadth somewhat more 

 than the breadth of the finished verge, unless 

 that verge exceed 18 inches in breadth, 

 when it will be better to cut it in two breadths 

 for the convenience of removal. For the latter 

 purpose a width of 12 inches will be sufficient. 

 It should be cut as nearly of an equal thickness 

 as possible, having the sides cut perpendicular, 

 and the ends of each piece obliquely. Each 

 piece may be of the length of from 3 to 4 feet, 

 and be rolled up to prevent its breaking in the 

 transport. The ground should be carefully and 

 firmly trodden and beat down. When the whole 

 is laid, it should be again beaten down by the 

 implement called the turf-beater, formed of a 

 piece of oak plant, 11 inches by 8 inches, and 

 22 inches thick, with a handle projecting in a 

 slanting direction, and the sides neatly cut 

 straight by a line with another implement called 

 the edging-iron, fig. 148, — an implement invented 

 by us many years ago, and for utility not as yet 

 superseded. In the case of large lawns, sowing 

 with the approved lawn seeds is the most eco- 

 nomical mode, but it requires a year or two be- 

 fore it becomes what is called a firm sward, or 

 that is fit to walk upon. Sometimes, where 

 parterres are to be laid down on the lawn, their 



forms are defined with turf verges, and the in- 

 termediate spaces sown with grass seeds. With- 



BOX-EDGING IRON. 



out this, it would be next to impossible to define 

 the lines of intricate patterns correctly, — the 

 only alternative being sowing down the whole 

 space, and, after the second year, cutting the 

 figures out of the entire piece. The same re- 

 marks are also applicable to the formation of 

 grass terraces. For a list of lawn grasses, vide 

 Flower Garden. In preparing the ground for a 

 lawn, whether to be sown or turfed, it is requi- 

 site to have the whole completely cleaned of 

 root weeds, trenched 2 feet deep, completely 

 levelled, and afterwards repeatedly rolled until 

 it becomes of a uniform even surface. The turf 

 is then to be laid on, fitting it closely, and beat 

 and rolled until it be solid and even. 



It is of some importance in the formation of 

 lawns, whether they be turfed or sown, to con- 

 sider the nature of the soil upon which they are 

 formed. If too rich, the grass, in either case, 

 will grow too quickly, be apt to become coarse, 

 as well as difficult to keep in good order by the 

 scythe or mowing-machine. This evil, however, 

 time will correct, as the repeated cutting will 

 in time reduce the surface to a proper condition. 

 If the soil, upon the other hand, be too poor, 

 then the sward never becomes compact and uni- 

 form, dying away in patches, and those occupied 

 with such plants as are the well-known emblems 

 of sterility. A moderately rich soil is the best ; 

 it will produce grass of a better colour, more 

 uniform in surface, and continue longer ere over- 

 run with moss. The proper season for laying 

 or planting turf is after or during autumnal 

 rains, and during winter in the absence of frost. 

 Late in spring and during summer is the worst 

 season, as the heat and drought are equally un- 

 favourable to the grasses taking root, and the 

 turfs shrinking or contracting in size leave in- 

 equalities between them which it is difficult to 

 rectify. 



Transplanting in the Quinqunx manner. — This 

 mode consists in setting the plants so that those 

 in one row may be opposite to the blank in the 

 other, so that, whichever way the plants are 

 looked at, they will appear to be in direct lines. 



