January  15,  1903. 
JOUBNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
69 
The  Making  of  Lawns. 
A  beautiful  velvety  lavn  adds  a  great  attraction  to  the 
demesne,  but  often  do  we  see  many  noble  houses  enclosed 
with  large  belts  of  trees,  excluding  light  and  air.  Nothing 
looks  bolder  than  to  see  the  mansion  surrounded  with  well 
kept  lawns  and  trimmed  edges.  When  laying  out 
pleasure  grounds,  great  forethought  should  be  exercised 
respecting  the  planting  of  trees  and  shrubs,  also  cutting  out 
flower  beds  so  as  not  to  spoil  the  landscape. 
Lawns  must  have  a  thorough  foundation,  and  may  be 
formed  on  any  site,  but  to  gain  success  good  loam  is  desir¬ 
able  and  to  sow  the  best  mixtures  of  prepared  seeds.  If 
the  soil  is  heavy,  burnt  refuse  and  I'oad-scrapings  added  w’ill 
lighten  it.  Poor  soil  requires  to  be  incorporated  with  farm¬ 
yard  manure  which  has  been  laid  in  a  heap  for  twelve 
months,  and  turned  occasionally  so  as  to  make  it  woi’kable. 
If  the  soil  is  shallow  (wLich  is  oftfen  the  case  where  chalk 
abounds)  suitable  soil  must  be  prepared  to  form  a  good 
sward  of  grass,  and  if  the  w’ork  is  properly  carried  out,  will 
make  the  best  of  lawns,  as  chalk  is  a  good  drainage. 
Oft-times  we  see  large  tracts  of  land  taken  in  from  the 
park  or  surroundings  to  form  a  lawn,  which  is  merely  fenced 
around  and  left  to  take  its  course,  the  result  being  that  on 
heavy,  clayey  soils,  where  rain  falls  heavily,  it  is  swampy, 
and  all  kinds  of  weeds  grow  luxuriantly.  Drainage  pipes 
should  be  laid  about  a  foot  below  the  surface,  or  deepei’, 
according  to  the  nature  of  the  land.  If  the  ground  is  on  a 
level,  the  pipes  should  be  laid  a  little  on  the  incline,  about 
a  foot  fall  in  60  yards,  then  to  empty  into  a  proper  recess, 
that  the  water  may  soak  into  the  earth.  Levelling  is  not 
a  very  difficult  problem  to  solve.  A  person  with  the  aid  of 
the  eye  can  gauge  his  requirements  as  to  the  mean  height, 
and  can  have  the  main  body  of  soil  to  a  level  as  near  as 
possible  to  work  from. 
First,  set  a  brick,  and  another  a  few'^  yards  distant. 
Upon  these  set  a  piece  of  stiff  quartering,  or  board,  and 
with  a  spirit-level  secure  a  horizontal  surface,  raising  and 
low'ering  the  bricks  until  the  proper  level  is  obtained. 
Remove  or  add  soil  as  may  be  necessary,  and  repeat  the 
operations  from  various  positions.  The  brick  which  was 
first  set  must  be  a  guide  for  the  whole  of  the  levelling. 
In  making  a  lawm  upon  sloping  ground,  a  peg  must  be 
driven  at  the  lower  end  to  a  certain  height,  to  know  how 
much  soil  is  to  be  removed  from  the  higher  part.  Dig  a 
trench  with  the  spade  of  sufficient  w’idth  to  take  a  piece  of 
string ;  then  follow  this  until  the  further  end  is  deep  enough 
to  stretch  the  string  tight  and  level.  To  make  an  even 
slope,  use  string  and  pegs,  stretching  several  throughout  the 
whole  length,  and  working  up  to  these  as  may  be  required. 
A  very  quick  way  of  levelling  large  tracts  of  land  is  the 
use  of  horning  rods.*  First  take  the  level  for  a  few  feet, 
with  the  straight-edge  and  spirit  level,  then  with  pegs  di’iven 
into  the  earth,  the  horning  rods  are  placed  in  position,  and 
the  pegs  are  raised  or  low’ered  according  to  the  sighting, 
which  is  very  easily  and  quickly  obtained. 
The  laying  of  turf  is  a  very  important  feature.  When 
the  ground  is  made  perfectly  level  it  should  be  rested  about 
a  week  before  laying  the  turves,  Avhich  should  be  of  a 
uniform  length  and  thickness.  Cut  the  turves  square,  and 
be  careful  to  have  the  garden-line  straight.  As  the  work 
proceeds,  have  a  long  plank  about  an  inch  thick  laid  upon 
the  turf,  and  by  beating  upon  it  the  work  is  kept  level  and 
not  beaten  in  holes,  which  may  be  the  case  if  the  soil  is 
inclined  to  be  Avet.  After  all  is  finished,  give  the  surface  a 
slight  coating  of  fine  sifted  soil,  and  Avhen  in  a  dry  state 
bush-harrow  it,  that  the  turf  may  set  close  together. 
*  Rorning  rods  are  upright  stakes  cr  splints,  from  2in.  to  Sin.  broad,  and 
from  Sift,  to  tft.  in  height.  Cross.bars  are  fixed  against  the  board  at  exactly 
right  angles  to  it,  so  that  the  cross-bar  form  a  horizontal  line  as  far  as  it  go  s, 
I  he  stake  being  perpendicular  with  it.  Two  of  these  stakes  should 
■■-ini  "I  —  be  of  exactly  the  same  height,  and  one,  or  what  may  be  called  the 
sighting  one,  about  an  inch  taller  than  tin  other  two.  On  this, 
and  exactly  at  the  same  height  from  the  ground,  a  small  sighting- 
hole  should  be  bored  at  an  equal  distance  from  etch  end  of  the 
cross-bar,  and  an  inch  from  its  upper  surface.  This  should  be  verv 
small,  aud  after  making  should  be  burned  black  with  a  hot  iron, 
to  make  and  keep  it  perfectly  clean.  This  sighting  or  bo  ning  rod 
is  fixed  in  the  earth  at  one  end  of  the  ground  to  be  levelled,  and 
another  is  fixed  at  the  other  end.  Then  a  man  or  hoy  distributes 
stakes  all  along  the  line  to  be  levelled  ,\yhich  ought  to  be  kept  quite  rtr,aiglit 
between  the  two  points),  and  places  the  third  horning  rod  on  the  ground  or  ro  a 
stake  if  it  is  necessary  to  riiie  the  horning  rod  for  a  level.  When,  on  looking 
through  the  sight-hole,  the  tops  of  the  other  two  can  be  seen  at  once,  the  horning 
rods  are  either  level  or  at  an  even  fall.  — ("  Cassell’s  Popular  Gardening.”) 
Where  lawms  are  sown  with  grass  seeds  the  best  way  is 
to  mark  out  the  required  space  with  pegs,  and  turf  cut 
about  a  foot  wude  should  be  laid  all  round  the  outside. 
Fill  up  Avith  soil  to  a  level,  and  alloAv  it  to  settle  before 
soAving.  April  is  the  best  month,  for  soAving  grass  seeds. 
Choose  a  quiet  day,  slightly  rake  the  surface,  and  roll  the 
seeds  in.  So  soon  as  the  grass  appears  aboA^e  ground,  roll 
again  Avith  a  light  roller,  and  if  the  season  is  dry,  the  grass 
should  be  watered.  If  there  is  the  conA’enience  to  do  so 
later,  it  should  be  moAvn  AAuth  a  sharp  scythe.  Choose  a 
damp  morning,  but  the  mowing  machine  must  not  be  used 
the  first  season,  as  the  young  tender  roots  are  liable  to  be 
injured.  Roll  several  times,  so  as  to  make  the  roots  firm. 
In  winter  lawns  must  be  constantly  swept  and  rolled,  and 
any  Aveeds  pulled  Avith  the  Daisy-fork.  Where  lawns  are 
required  to  be  smart  in  appearance,  attention  bestow^ed  on 
them  during  the  autumn  and  winter  in  the  Avay  of  dressings 
of  sifted  wood  ashes,  salt,  and  soot,  properly  mixed,  and 
carefully  applied  broadcast,  or  in  places  AA'here  expense  is 
not  studied,  a  dressing  of  artificial  fertilisers,  Avill  Avell  repay 
for  its  labour,  and  you  Avill  have  a  smart  and  A'erdant 
pastiu’e  during  the  summer  months. — J.  A.  Rogers. 
Fruit  Notes. 
Earliest  Forced  Yiner. 
The  weather  liaAung  been  mild  and  wet,  great  care  is  neces¬ 
sary  in  ventilating  on  a  recurrence  of  sharp  and  cold  weather, 
for  draughts  injure  the  foliage,  crippling  the  growths,  and 
causing  them  to  become  stunted,  but  some  air  is  necessary  to 
prevent  the  leaves  becoming  poor  and  thin  in  texture,  as  tliey 
do  in  a  confined  atmosphere,  and  in  that  condition  are  liable 
to  be  scorched,  and  fall  an  easy  prey  to  red  spider,  thrips,  &c. 
Disbud  when  the  best  shows  for  fruit  can  be  distinguished, 
tie  doAvn  the  shoots  before  they  touch  the  glass,  taking  care 
not  to  bring  them  down  too  sharialy  or  to  tie  too  tightly.  Stop 
two  or  three  joints  beyond  the  bunch,  not,  howeA^er,  acting  upon 
any  rule  of  thumb  princiiale,  but  be  guided  by  the  space  at 
command,  extending  the  stopping  AA’here  there  is  room,  and 
restricting  it  to  one  joint  Avhere  limited,  securing  as  far  a.s 
possible  a  full  supply  of  foliage  fully  exposed  to  light.  Do  not 
burden  the  Vines  Avith  superfluous  bunchesi — one  on  a  shoot  is 
suflacient — for  overcropping  and  overcroAA'ding  are  great  evils. 
As  the  bunches  come  into  floAver  maintain  a  day  and  night 
temperature  of  70deg  to  7odeg,  falling  5deg,  hoAveAmr,  during 
the  night,  and  keep  the  atmosphere  rather  drier.  Where  fer¬ 
menting  materials  are  used  on  inside  borders  the  heat  must 
not  be  alloAved  to  decline,  but  let  the  heap  be  turned  and  re¬ 
plenished  AA'ith  sAA’eetened  material  as  necessary.  Outside 
borders  must  have  attention,  Avhich  will  be  slight,  provided  they 
have  been  covered  Avith  leaves  and  dry  fern  or  litter,  but  Avhere 
fermenting  materials  are  employed  they  must  be  renewed,  keep¬ 
ing  up  a  good  heap  of  Oak  leaves  and  stable  litter  in  the  reserve 
ground  to  admit  of  a  supply  being  obtained  readily  as  required. 
Grapes  to  Ripen  in  June. 
Start  the  Vines,  if  not  already  done,  at  once.  Supply  the 
inside  border  thoroughly  Avith  water  slightly  in  adA'ance  of  the 
mean  temperature  of  the  house.  Enough  AA-ater  or  liquid 
manure  should  be  supplied  to  render  the  soil  evenly  moistened 
through  doAvn  to  the  drainage,  but  avoid  making  the  border 
sodden,  as  the  sourness  thus  induced  commonly  results  in 
shanking  of  the  Grapes. 
To  economise  fuel,  employ  fermenting  materials  Avithin  the 
house,  throAving  them  into  a  ridge  on  the  floor,  and  turn  them 
frequently  to  liberate  the  ammonia  and  maintain  a  genial  warmth 
and  moisture,  adding  fresh  material  as  necessary.  Where  fer¬ 
menting  materials  are  not  available,  the  surfaces,  other  than  the 
Vines,  may  be  sprinkled  Avith  liquid  manure  daily,  neat  stable 
or  coAV-house  drainings  being  diluted  Avith  five  times  the  bulk 
of  water,  and  using  about  three  gallons  of  the  diluted  liquid 
per  square  rod  (301  square  yards). 
The  temperature  of  the  house  should  be  oOdeg  to  oodeg  by 
artificial  means,  and  Codeg  from  sun  heat.  If  the  roots  are  out¬ 
side  they  Avill  need  protecting  Avith  a  good  thickness  of  dry 
leaves,  litter,  or  fern.  This  Avill  secure  to  them  a  more  uniform 
temperature,  and  is  necessary  for  preventing  the  .soil  becoming 
frozen.  It  is  often  better  than  fermenting  materials,  that  are 
alloAved  to  become  cold  and  soapy  through  not  properly  adding 
to  them  for  maintaining  the  heat.  Where  the  border  has  been 
exposed  up  to  noAA'  it  will  be  little,  if  any,  A\armei  than  the 
