Every one who is interested in town gardening knows how difficult it is to keep the grass plot or lawn in a healthy and presentable condition. Too often, indeed, it wears a miserable appearance and is positively an eyesore, the grasses being thin and weak of growth with patches of bare earth between or the better species become entirely ousted out by rank growing weeds. That there are certain parts of our towns and cities where grasses cannot be got to grow in a satisfactory manner is frankly acknowledged, but that much can be done to mitigate the attending evils of an impure, smoke-laden atmosphere I am quite convinced. Soil that has for long been exposed to the chemical and other fumes of our larger centres of industry cannot carry a healthy crop of grass; so that not only is it necessary at the outset to provide a suitable medium for the grass to root amongst, but also to renew or enrich this at periodical intervals by suitable top dressings. Where it is intended to have a good lawn the ground should be carefully trenched over and a quantity of loam and thoroughly decomposed manure added. After this has been well consolidated either seed-sowing or turfing should be resorted to, the work being preferably performed in early Spring. The turves should be cut of a uniform thickness, about 2 in., and a yard long by a foot wide. When transferred to the prepared ground, which should previously have been levelled and raked over, the turves should be carefully laid side by side and quite close to each other, so that little or no space for the admittance of air is left between the edges. The whole should then be rolled down and a sprinkling of fine sandy soil applied, this having a beneficial effect in filling up any cavities between the turf. Seed sowing may take place in March or April, according to the weather, the most approved mixture for town gardens being about equal proportions of the following: - Agrostis (species), Cynosurus cris-tatus, Festuca duriuscula, Poa pratensis, Short Perennial Rye grass.

Yarrow (Achillea Millefolium)

Yarrow (Achillea Millefolium) thrives remarkably well in London, but has the probable disadvantage that being of strong growth it ousts out all other grass from the soil in which it is growing. A remarkable instance of this occurred last year at the British Museum, where the two plots of grass in front of this building were quite overrun by the Yarrow and the original grasses nearly all killed out. So thoroughly did the Yarrow overrun the ground that no less than three cartloads of the roots were removed before the ground was returfed. For dry banks, and especially where it can be allowed to flower, it is probably the best plant for smoky localities. The Annual Poa (P. annua) is another excellent grass for the London garden, particularly beneath trees, where it reproduces itself abundantly. Though hardly suitable for lawns, yet for odd corners and beneath trees probably the best grasses are Holcus mollis and Elymus arenarius: both excellent subjects that seem to luxuriate in the atmosphere which is fatal to so many other herbs; they spread about freely and are remarkably verdant even in the smokiest localities. The after management of grass plots in towns is fraught with care and attention to the matter of top-dressing and keeping the grasses in a strong and healthy condition. For this purpose street sweepings, when allowed to lie for a few months and mixed with light earth, are particularly valuable, the mixture being applied in early Spring. Amongst the various chemical manures I have found none to equal "Phyto-broma," which has truly a marvellous effect in recuperating exhausted grass land in smoky districts. It should be sparingly applied with about six times its bulk of wood ashes or fine rich mould. In order to keep town turf in nice condition, mowing (which thickens and strengthens the grasses) and rolling should be regularly attended to.