March.] FLOWER GARDEN. 395 
The edges of all the grass walks and lawns should now be cut 
even with an edging-iron, (see page 78) which will add greatly to 
the general neatness. 
Making Grass- fValks and Lawns. 
The sooner in this month that you can make any grass-walks, 
lawns, or grass-plats, that may be necessary, the betterj as the 
roots will have time to establish themselves before the great 
droughts and heats commence. Turf, when it can conveniently be 
got, is always preferable to sowing grass-seed, but in extensive 
lawns, the latter, of necessity, must be resorted to. The best turf 
for those purposes, is that of a close-fed pasture or common, where 
the sward is tough, and the grass short and fine. 
If you have much to lay, you should be provided with a turfing 
iron. This instrument is formed with an iron plate for the cutter, 
six or seven inches wide, rounding at the edge, very sharp, and 
about a foot long, pretty much in the form of a spade; and at the 
tread, it is forged or connected to a long bent iron handle, the 
bending so formed as to admit of the plate or cutter resting flat on 
the ground, in the proper position for flaying the turf; the iron 
handle at top being either formed like the handle of a spade, or 
having a socket near the plate to place a crooked wooden and 
properly headed handle therein. With this instrument, turf can be 
taken oif with much more convenience and expedition than with 
a spade; but when it cannot be conveniently had, a spade may do 
very well. 
It will also be necessary in order to go completely about your 
work, to have a racer or sward-cutter. This should have a stout 
wooden handle, about four feet long and bent a little in the lower 
end, like a boy's common, having about four or five inches of the 
point end of an old scythe, placed transversely in the lower extre- 
mity, with the point downwards, projecting an inch and a half, with 
the edge forward and made fast in a slit in the handle with a cou- 
ple of rivets; so that when pushed before you, it may expeditiously 
cut the sward as you race it along. 
Having this instrument, strain a line tight, first lengthwise, then 
strike the racer into the sward close to the line, run it along, it will 
expeditiously cut its way and divide the turf to a proper depth; 
directly place the line a foot farther, and race it out as before, and 
so proceed to as many widths as may be wanted, then with the 
line placed crosswise, race out the sward in yard lengths. Being 
thus divided, the turf-cutter with his turfing iron proceeds to cut 
them up, about an inch and a half thick, which he can do with 
great expedition; and according as they are cut, each should be 
rolled up with the grass side inward, as close and firm as possible, 
for the more ready carrying and removing them without breaking. 
Let the ground where the turf is to be laid, be made as even as 
possible, that it may settle equally thereafter, and rake the surface 
smooth. In laying them, make the edges join close every way, and 
as soon as laid, the whole should be immediately well beaten, with 
2P 
