APPENDIX. 
491 
son, on the Hudson, where we write, the constant succession of showers 
has given us, even in the heat of mid-summer, a softness and verdure 
of lawn that can scarcely be surpassed in any climate or country. 
Our climate, however, is in the middle states one of too much heat 
and brilliancy of sun, to allow us to keep our lawns in the best condi- 
tion without considerable care. Beautifully verdant in spring and autumn, 
they are often liable to suffer from drought in midsummer. On sandy 
soils, this is especially the case, while on strong loamy soils a consider- 
able drought will be endured without injury to the good appearence of 
the grass. It therefore is a suggestion worthy of the attention of the 
lover of a fine lawn? who is looking about for a country residence, to care- 
fully avoid one where the soil is sandy. The only remedy in such a soil 
is a tedious and expensive one, that of constant and plentiful top-dressing 
with a compost of manure and heavy soil— marsh mud— swamp muck, or 
the like. Should it fortunately be the case (which is very rare,) that 
the sub-stratum is loamy, deep ploughing, or trenching, by bringing up 
and mixing with the light surface soil some of the heavier earth from 
below, will speedily tend to remedy the evil. 
In almost all cases where the soil is of good strength, a permanent 
lawn may be secured by preparing the soil deeply before finally laying 
it down. This may be done readily, at but little outlay, by deep plough- 
ing — a good and cheap substitute for trenching — that is to say, making 
the plough follow three times in the same furrow. This, with manure, 
if necessary, will secure a depth of soil sufficient to allow the roots of 
plants to strike below the effects of a surface drought. 
In sowing a lawn, the best mixture of grasses that we can recommend 
for this climate, is a mixture of Red-top and white Clover — two natural 
grasses found by almost every road side — in the proportion of three fourths 
of the former, to one of the latter. 
There is a common and very absurd notion current, (which we have 
several times practically disproved,) that, in order to lay down a lawn 
well, it is better to sow the seed along with that of some grain ; thus, 
starving the growth of a small plant by forcing it to grow with a larger 
and coarser one ! A whole year is always lost by this process — indeed 
more frequently two. Many trials have convinced us, that the proper 
mode is to sow a heavy crop of grass at once, and we advise him who de- 
sires to have speedily a handsome turf, to follow the English practice, 
