6 
REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR OF THE 
Palm House Lawn has been top-dressed with good soil, and a fine even 
sward has been made. Some bedding out has also been done near the 
Palm House; but it is merely of a temporary character. The display 
of flowers, though gratifying to visitors is not exactly in a suitable 
position, and will be made elsewhere as the laying out of the Gardens 
progresses, and proper ground is prepared for the purpose. 
Of course in lawn making it is always advisable to first of all thoroughly 
drain the place If the lawn is an extensive one, and trenching is con- 
sidered too expensive, the ground should be sub-soil ploughed, harrowed, 
levelled, raked, and thickly sown with the mixed lawn grasses usually 
sold by the nurserymen here, a little clover being added ; and in the 
spring, the spade should be stuck in at regular distances, and rooted 
pieces of the Buffalo and Doub grasses (Stenotaphrum glabrum and 
Cynodon dactylon) planted. These after a short time will meet, giving, 
with the English grasses, both a summer and a winter lawn. In summer 
the Buffalo and Doub grasses are sure to be green. If the soil is natu- 
rally poor, top-dressing after the first year with street sweeping's, mixed 
with a sandy soil or friable loam, will be found of value in increasing* 
the strength of the sward. The correctness of this theory I have prac- 
tically demonstrated, as may be seen in the Gardens at the present time. 
One lawn only was. formed entirely of Buffalo grass; but to neutralise 
its rather brown tint during severe frosts, I had it top-dressed and 
scattered over it a slight sowing of the English mixture of lawn grass 
seeds. 
I may here point out that a place laid out in the form which I am 
giving to the Botanic Gardens will be easily kept in order after a year 
or two. Grass lawns can be mown by a machine. The three large 
lawns lately made in the Gardens, as I have previously stated can be 
attended to and kept in order by the labor of one man and a horse; and 
they could go over a much greater space in a week ; whereas numerous 
borders of flowers, with walks occupying the same space, would necessi- 
tate a vast amount of labor and expense. Nor can anything in the way 
of extensive gardening be more beautiful than a succession of verdant 
law'ns, broken by graceful groups of diversified foliage and effectively 
arranged floral bloom. Even the highest and most important feature in 
a Botanic Garden — the collection and scientific arrangement of plants 
can be advantageously carried out in this manner, thus combining the 
useful with the ornamental, and gratifying the taste of lovers of the 
picturesque and beautiful, while facilitating the researches of the botani- 
cal student. 
