14 JOUKNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



In the vegetable garden a particular vegetable is hardly ever grown 

 two years consecutively on the same soil, and even if it were there is no 

 difficulty in manuring the land each season. In the case of lawns, how- 

 ever, when once a lawn is laid down it is intended to remain for many 

 years ; it is impossible to apply fresh applications of manure in the 

 ordinary way, and the only way of nourishing it is by the process known 

 as top dressing, which, though effective, is at best only an indirect means 

 of getting at the roots. In very few cases would the application of farm- 

 yard manure to a lawn as a top dressing be tolerated, on account of its 

 unsightliness, and consequently lawns are entirely dependent on artificial 

 manures when once they are sown down. 



In connection with the preparation of land for lawns, the usual 

 practice is to commence cperations in autumn and to allow it to lie 

 fallow throughout the winter. This undoubtedly means unsightliness 

 for the time being, but it will result in that beautiful tilth from the action 

 of frost which is a sine qua noii for successful sowing. That the ground 

 should be level is so obvious that it is hardly necessary to state it, 

 but a friable condition of soil is essential, and no go jd lawn can be 

 obtained without it. Constant raking and rolling after such winter fallow 

 will do wonders. 



Turfing versus Sowing. 



For the benefit of those who may be interested in the subject, I 

 propose to introduce here a few remarks as to the comparative merits of 

 the formation of lawns by turf and by seed. 



Probably the chief advantage that turf possesses over seed is that a lawn 

 is at once covered with grass instead of remaining bare for a considerable 

 period. In addition to this, however, it is often supposed — and the assump- 

 tion is sometimes correct — that a lawn c mposed of turf can be more quickly 

 brought into a condition fit for use than a lawn s.-wn with seed. 



Each practice has its merits, but it is now generally admitted that the 

 advantages of turfing are far outweighed by the very serious disadvantages 

 which are apparent the moment turfing is contemplated. There is, first 

 of all, the difficulty of finding really good turf, and turf which may look 

 excellent in a meadow consequent upon close grazing and treading by 

 sheep, may prove to be utterly unsuitable after being put duwn to form 

 a lawn under totally different conditions. It should be remembered 

 that natural turf is composed of grasses which are suitable to the 

 particular soil upon which it is growing ; consequently, if turf is 

 removed to another locality only those grasses will flourish which, like 

 the stronger varieties, can adapt themselves to their new surroundings. 



Another point to which particular attention should be given is that 

 in these days, when the preparation of special prescriptions of grasses 

 to meet particular needs has been brought to a science, the adoption of 

 turf is to this extent an antiq^uated policy, in that it makes an intelligent 

 combination of grasses out of the question. 



The cost, however, of turfing will always remain one of the chief 

 difficulties, unless, indeed, one is so fortunate as to have in one's own 

 possession good turf close at hand. It has been estimated that the 

 average cost of laying out an acre of land with turf usually runs into 



