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surface. Finely sifted rich soil with a liberal addition of burnt earth, 
wood ashes, and sand should then be spread between the turfs — to fill 
up the interspaces — and make the whole surface as level as possible. 
The top may then be beaten down or rolled to give a firm surface. 
In a few weeks the whole surface will be grown over but mowing 
should not be too frequent or too close for the first few months until 
a “sole ” is formed. To assist this constant rolling should be given 
and to keep a lawn in good condition rolling should be continued 
regularly throughout the year. New lawns may require watering 
during dry weather. The appearance of the grass will suggest this. 
Much depends on selecting the right kind of turf. It should be 
free from course grass and weeds, should be of a uniform thickness 
and should be composed of a grass which is naturally of a close, short 
creeping growth. 
There are several grasses of this nature which are plentiful 
everywhere. The best are Cynodon dactylon for dry sandy places near 
the sea, and Zoysia pungens also for dry situations near the sea, and 
for inland situations Digitaria longiflora , a fine grey-leaved grass. 
Only creeping grasses should be used ; others die out quickly during 
dry weather. In wet situations Cynodon dactylon dies out and Zoysia 
pungens becomes spongy if not very carefully looked after. 
I do not recommend forming lawns from seeds although I have 
seen very good lawns from English ' grass seeds in this country. 
They are slow, expensive, and do not last so long as those made from 
native grasses and ants usually eat up the seeds before they germi- 
nate. When recourse is had to grass seeds they should, when possi- 
ble, be collected in this country, only those being used which possess 
the qualities mentioned above. 
When Englisii lawn seeds are desired, most seedsmen supply 
mixtures ready for sowing and suited to wet or dry soils as the case 
may be. 
The same preparations of the soil as given for turf are necessary. 
A fine layer of prepared soil should be spread over the surface on 
which the seed should be sown and lightly raked in. 
The surface should be slightly rolled and protected from heavy 
rains ; 50 lbs to the acre is about the quantity of grass seed required 
for a lawn. The ground should be kept carefully clear of weeds and 
rank growth and the young grass should not be mowed for at least 2 
months, but frequent rolling will be necessary. 
The keeping of lawns when once established is work of a routine 
character consisting chiefly of mowing, rolling and sweeping. This 
work must, however, be carefully performed. Very stiff brooms 
should not be used as they switch hundreds of young grass plants 
out of the ground and also remove earth round from the roots ; and I 
have already pointed out the importance of proper mowing. 
