The annexed cut ([fig. 31]) shows the effects of this, the taller grass being a root of cocksfoot, which is not only bunchy, but its leaves are too broad for a good lawn grass, and it grows twice as fast as the smaller species ([a]); its colour, too, would be so much lighter than that of the surrounding herbage as to be at once visible, and to strike one as a great blemish. Here, again, the offending patch should be removed, and better turf introduced, which operation should be performed in the autumn if possible, so as to have the full benefit the following summer.
These points in the cultivation of lawns are more particularly applicable in the process of laying down lawns with cut turves, which is the usual practice, and especially when an immediate effect is required. In this case, then, it cannot be too strongly urged that much trouble and expense may be saved by choosing the finest turf for our purpose; and the trouble of picking out an objectionable grass or weed before laying down will be amply rewarded.
If it be thought desirable to sow grass seeds to get a lawn, we would propose the following mixture:—
5. Proposed mixture for lawns, cricket-grounds, bowling-greens, &c.
| Botanical Name. | Trivial Name. | Quantity Per Acre. | |
| lb. | oz. | ||
| Lolium perenne | Perennial Rye | 25 | 0 |
| Festuca duriuscula | Hard Fescue | 4 | 0 |
| „ ovina | Sheep’s „ | 2 | 0 |
| Poa pratensis | Smooth Meadow | 1 | 8 |
| „ trivialis | Rougher „ | 1 | 8 |
| Cynosurus cristatus | Dogstail | 7 | 0 |
| Trifolium repens[4] | Dutch Clover | 8 | 0 |
[4] As some people object to Clover in a lawn, we should add a little more Sheep’s Fescue in its stead.
These seeds should be sown upon clean, well-pulverized, and smoothly-rolled ground, and the garden roller should be actively employed from the time the grass seeds have well come up until they are fairly established, when, if mown the second year with the machine, its rolling will be sufficient.
Occasionally there will be bald places in parks, such as some of the worn spots in Hyde Park, which it would be advisable to provide seed for, that should have an immediate effect. In this case we should mix a small quantity of the Poa annua with the above, as it not only effects the object of making the whole look green very quickly, but so small a grass scarcely interferes with the growth of the more permanent species, which would meanwhile be making their position, and so ultimately drive out the annual.
It now only remains to point out that the constant mowing of lawns, although it only takes away young grass, must in time have the effect of impoverishing the lawn. In such case, the grass will not be of so bright a colour as formerly, and it will become more or less mixed with moss. In this state of matters the grasses die, and different species of agarics live upon the decaying roots.
In this condition we find that colour and fertility are restored by a good sprinkling of soot, which usually operates very beneficially for four or five years. After this period a little guano, say one part to three parts of soot, will do better. Another method of restoring fertility is that of an occasional use of house slops, diluted with five parts of water; this showered evenly from a watering-pot, engine, or hydropult, usually has a most beneficial effect.