APPENDIX. 
42 1 
II. 
Note on the treatment of Lawns 
As a lawn is the ground-work of a landscape garden, and as the 
management of a dressed grass surface is still a somewhat ill-under- 
stood subject with us, some of our readers will, perhaps, be glad to 
receive a very few hints on this subject. 
The unrivalled beauty of the “ velvet lawns” of England has passed 
into a proverb. This is undoubtedly owing, in some measure, to their 
superior care and keeping, but mainly to the highly favorable climate 
of that moist and sea-girt land. In a very dry climate it is nearly 
impossible to preserve that emerald freshness in a grass surface, that 
belongs only to a country of “ weeping skies.” During all the present 
season, on the Hudson, where we write, the constant succession of 
showers has given us, even in the heat of midsummer, 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 considerable drought will be endured without injury to the good 
appearance 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 carefully avoid one where the soil is sandy. The 
only remedy in such a soil is a tedious and expensive one, that of con- 
stant and plentiful topdressing 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 sur- 
face 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 
