PICTORIAL CULTIVATOR ALMANAC. 
25 
These machines have 
been successfully us* 
ed in this country for 
the last ten years, or 
longer. A great sen¬ 
sation has been pro¬ 
duced in England by 
their i n t r o d uction 
there during the past 
season. The annex¬ 
ed cut is that of Mc¬ 
Cormick’s Reaper, 
which received one 
of the Great Medals 
at the Exhibition of 
All Nations. This, 
as well as Hussey’s 
machine, is coming 
into extensive use in 
Gt. Britain. The sav¬ 
ing there is computed 
at $1.25 per acre. 
McCORMICK’S REAPER. 
TILLAGE DOOR YARDS. 
It is often a cause of regret that so very few of our or¬ 
namental grounds approach in finish the highly kept 
English lawns. Henry Colman, speaking of the latter, 
says: “ Nothing of the kind can be more beautiful; and 
I never before knew the force of that striking expression 
of the prince of poets, Milton, of “ walking on the 
smooth shaven lawn;” for it seems to be cut with a 
razor, rather than with a scythe; and after a gentle 
shower, it really appears as if the field had had its face 
washed, and its hair combed with a fine tooth comb.” 
The truth is, it is hardly desirable to introduce into 
this country the expense of maintaining such high and 
costly finish to extensive artificial landscapes. But 
there is one place where it may very easily be done, 
with admirable effect and little cost; in the limited front 
grounds of the village or suburban dwelling. A half 
hour, spent every morning, before breakfast, by the 
proprietor himself, would keep the tenth or twentieth 
of an acre in the highest degree of neatness. 
The first of the accompanying plans is intended to 
embrace about the seventh part of an acre, and to avoid 
the too frequent and stiff appearance of a straight walk 
directly from the front gate to the door. In so small 
a space, shrubs or small trees only can with propriety 
■be introduced, the larger of which should be near the 
boundary; (and ought to be concealed.) The Norway 
fir, the Balsam, the Hemlock, and other species of the 
finest evergreens, which usually attain the height of 
large trees, may be kept small by shortening in their 
branches; shearing their surface makes them too stiff 
and formal. All evergreens, and particularly the hem¬ 
lock and arbor vitses, will bear pruning into* any shape 
or dimensions. 
The ornamental effect of the grounds is much in¬ 
creased by the introduction of a few flower beds, cut 
into the turf, as shown in the figures. At the same 
time, the bad appearance which is some times given by 
cutting up the whole front yard into beds for flowers, 
is wholly avoided. No arrangement of grounds should 
ever be made which dispenses with turf in immediate 
connexion with the dwelling. 
Fig. 2 is intended as a plan for a more limited space. 
A small inconspicuous gate at the right, opens a direct 
passage to the kitchen. In both instances, the kitchen 
garden, if any, occupies the ground back of the house. 
A long chapter might be given relative to the selection 
and suitable disposition of the shrubs, and the flowering 
plants for the beds. This must be left mainly to the 
knowledge and taste of the proprietor, or of the person 
he employs. It may be however observed, that such 
shrubs should be chosen as will appear well throughout 
the season, whether in blossom or not; and that if pos 
sible, the flowers for the beds should form a constant 
succession throughout the season. By commencing 
with the spring flowering bulbs, following those with 
herbaceous perennials, and closing with the finest annu- 
als, a good succession may be kept up; and if in addi¬ 
tion to these, a supply of the most brilliant green-house 
plants can be procured, the result will be highly satis¬ 
factory. It would be desirable in any case, to raise the 
plants in the back garden, until near the period of flow¬ 
ering, when they should be removed, roots, earth, and 
all; to the beds. Green-house plants in pots, are very 
easily and safely set out; and an equal advantage is de¬ 
rived by growing the others in pots for this purpose. 
A very few words as to the treatment of the grass: 
before it is sown the soil should be trenched two or 
three feet deep if possible, and made rich with manure; 
this will keep up a fresh green color through the driest 
summer. The seed may be sown early in the spring; 
and if at the rate of two or three bushels per acre, it 
will in a very few weeks form a beautiful carpet of green. 
It must then be mowed with a lawn scythe, and if the 
mowing is afterwards continued and repeated as often 
as once a week, not a day less frequent, or as soon as a 
cut one inch high can be taken off with the scythe, it 
will soon rival in smoothness the surface of velvet itself. 
