380 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



dressed with chemical manure that will retain the roots on the surface. 

 Turf of this description can be obtained in six months from sowing if 

 the weather conditions are favourable. It may be slow at first, but all 

 greens of this nature are in their early stages. 



The cultivation of lav/n turf is a most fascinating occupation in 

 itself, and if it develops into a study of grasses the work is 

 rendered doubly attractive. Many years ago Professor Martyn wrote : 

 " Grass vulgarly forms one single idea ; and a husbandman, when he 

 is looking over his enclosure, does not dream that there are upwards 

 of three hundred species of grass, of which thirty or forty may be present 

 under his eye. These have scarcely had a name besides the general 

 one until within these twenty years, and the few particular names that 

 have been given them are far from having obtained general use ; 

 so that we may fairly assert that the knowledge of this most common 

 and useful tribe of plants is yet in its infancy." 



Some of these words might be re-written to-day. 



