onc.

He brought to the culture of his plants the same care and exactness that he exercised in his profession. His collection of orchids was one of the largest of the time, and a large part of it was donated to the Botanic Garden. We have known of his pecuniary misfortunes, and that he surrendered all he had to meet his obligations. He has done a noble life work, and left an example for us to follow.

John G. Barker concurred in all said of Mr. Rand in the resolutions as containing in a small compass all necessary to be said. In character he was a true gentleman; and he was a much respected and esteemed member of the Episcopal Church, and received its highest honors as a layman. The speaker had charge of his place when he was most extensively engaged in horticulture, and preserved all his premium cards. He took all the first prizes for plants, his collections including the Medinilla magnifica and Cyanophyllum magnificum. His collection of orchids was excellent, and his estate was a model of neatness. His character shone in all that he did, and he appreciated all that was done for him, and the speaker was glad to have the opportunity to bear witness to his worth.

Hon. Marshall P. Wilder said that it would appear very strange if he did not rise to speak a word in regard to Mr. Rand, whom it was his privilege to know for more than half a century. He was a true Christian gentleman, lovely in his character, modest, tender, and unassuming. He was the legal adviser of this Society, and an extremely prudent counsellor. He felt a lively interest in the Society, and while Vice-President kept up the practical culture of plants at considerable expense, and brought to our exhibitions many fine specimens of new and rare species.

President Hayes added a word of testimony to the uprightness and excellence of Mr. Rand's character. He knew his father, and knew how he was brought up. He was a profound believer in Christianity, and could go down to his grave unfalteringly. He was a scholar, a lawyer, and a lover of nature, and in all relating to the Society, and especially in regard to the library, he was adapted to be of eminent service to it.

The resolutions were unanimously adopted, and it was voted that a copy be sent to the family of Mr. Rand.

The Secretary presented a circular from Parker Earle, President of the Mississippi Valley Horticultural Society, inviting coöpera

tion in the International Exhibition of Fruits, to be held under the direction of that Society, in connection with the World's Industrial and Cotton Centennial Exposition, in the city of New Orleans, commencing on the first Monday of December, 1884, and continuing six months. The subject was referred to the Executive Committee.

LEVI W. HASTINGS, of Brookline, and

THOMAS A. WATSON, of East Braintree,

having been recommended by the Executive Committee, were, on ballot, duly elected members of the Society.

Adjourned to Saturday, February 9.

MEETING FOR DISCUSSION.

LAWNS AND WALKS: MAKING AND KEEPING THEM IN ORDER; PUBLIC AND FARM ROADS: HOW SHALL THEY BE MADE AND REPAIRED?

By Col. HENRY W. WILSON, Boston.

The word "lawn" originally signified a bit of untilled grass land or glade in the depths of the wood, which was sung by the poets as a very pretty and sentimental sort of thing. Then it was sought to be produced nearer home, to heighten the landscape effects and add a new charm and dignity to the residence.

It is no exaggeration to say that there is hardly anything about the estate, whether it be large or small, which so completely marks the style of the master of the place as the treatment, appearance and adornment of the lawn. Not every owner is the master of his place, and the general surface, appearance and surroundings of the lawn indicate with unfailing accuracy the style and manner of the man who reigns over it.

The lawn is, and will always continue to be, the most attractive and fascinating feature in landscape gardening, and to harmonize its trim, clean, and velvety appearance with the more rugged and unbroken foliage of the evergreens which border it, is the most gratifying success of the gardener. To some people any bit of grass is a lawn, and one kind of grass looks as well as any other, only it would seem as if the coarser the grass and the rougher the surface the more natural it appears to them.

The principle which should guide in the treatment of the lawn is

very different from that which directs all other attempts to beautify and adorn the grounds, for this reason, that, when the ornamentation sought is by the introduction of trees, we select the most perfect types of their species, so that the copse or plantation will assume a truly natural appearance. A weeping tree seems to me to be as much out of place in a conspicuous position on a lawn as would a fir tree beside a fountain; but some people have a passion for weeping trees.

On the other hand, the lawn, in its perfection, is purely artificial in everything that marks its distinguishing characteristics. The surface must be made as smooth as it can possibly be made; this condition certainly is not natural in New England. The turf is cultivated simply as turf, and not for the natural functions of vegetation, to grow as grass and furnish forage; in the most brilliant rays of a midsummer sun it must not sear or blanch; it must be simply a velvety carpet of living green from early spring time until the coming of frost and snow. Besides, the designer must have the art to conceal its truly artificial character and make it appear that this elegant, emerald surface, which should be soft and delicate enough for a fairy dance, is the most natural thing to expect to find, set right in the midst of its fringing plantations of evergreens, and that the residence was only put where it is that the owner might take this bit of loveliness all in.

The first thing to do, after having determined to make a lawn, is to establish its size. There are lawns, and there are simple grass plots which their affectionate owners fondly dignify by that name.

Men strive to magnify the importance of everything nowadays. They buy a country house, with a couple of acres of land, and at once it becomes an "estate;" a young fellow obtains the employment which he has craved and diligently sought, he "accepts a situation." Singers no longer sing, they "render a selection;" they are no longer singers even, they are absorbed in that mystical word "talent." The musician once played upon his harp or piano or organ, he now "presides." Every little pond is a lake. Now when we attempt the decoration of nature we must leave falseheartedness and fustian alone.

A lawn must necessarily be of such a size that the proper treatment in harmonizing its surroundings will not dwarf its appearance and cause it to look like an oak-opening in the woods; but when, as is often the case, the lawn comprises hundreds of acres, and, with its plantations, assumes the character of a park, no specific rules

can be laid down, as each case would require special treatment; but one thing must be borne in mind, and that is, that the hand of art must be so carefully concealed that the most artificial embellishments will appear to be some of the beauties of nature.

I have in my mind a bit of grass land, which its owner thinks to be a charming lawn, of a couple of acres. Much pains are bestowed upon it; it is freely sprinkled with a hose during the hot dry weather; it is as flat as a pancake, and is bordered by rows of mingled evergreen and deciduous trees that stand out as stark and stiff as a line of marines at a ship's gangway. Unless the area of the lawn be adequate for proper treatment the term is simply a misnomer.

It must be of living green. This is attained only by the proper management of the moisture in the soil. Grass roots will penetrate to the plane of permanent moisture and no farther, and, provided that plane is at as great a depth as four feet below the surface, no drouth or sun can wither or sear the turf if all else is properly and well prepared.

The next thing to decide is what the slope and character of the surface is to be. Most lawns are surfaced to a true plane and generally have the appearance of sagging in the centre. This arises from an optical illusion, whereby perpendicular parallel lines appear curved toward each other, and a flat horizontal surface appears concave.

To correct or obviate this defect, which is really a blemish, the surface should be planned so as to give a gentle swell to the ground, which, by a careful study of the contours before starting, can be accomplished with very little difficulty. The change in the appearance of grounds, by attention to this little detail, is as great as the difference in the appearance of a man stooping or standing

erect.

The next point to consider is the drainage. If the land is dry and gravelly its drainage will be natural enough without any artificial aids, but the difficulty of making a proper lawn is greatly increased thereby.

If the subsoil is of a gravelly clay or hard-pan, as much of our New England lands are, it will be found to be indispensable to drain with proper pipes laid four feet deep and thirty to forty feet apart, according to circumstances. This will dispose of the surplus water and suffer the grass roots to penetrate to such a depth, in search of moisture, that they will be sure of finding it at all times.

I shall assume that this part of the work is intelligently planned and executed faithfully and properly.

If the soil is rather light and underlaid by gravel, it will be difficult to make a lawn to stand protracted dry weather, but it can be greatly improved by spreading from two hundred to three hundred loads to the acre of any kind of clayey material, which, if left to the action of the frost during the winter, will become disintegrated and friable, and, in the spring, ploughing it in as deeply as can be done with the best plough and team attainable.

The selection of this material is important, for not all clay will answer, although most kinds will; but the test of its excellence is that the action of frost must thoroughly pulverize it to a complete powder. A perfect incorporation of such material with a dry, sandy or gravelly subsoil, works a wonderful change in its texture; it becomes more retentive of moisture, thus contributing to the object to which all our labor is directed, that of giving permanence to the verdancy of the lawn.

A good dressing of peaty muck will do much to give body to such a soil when treated as described. If the soil is light, you will acquire an addition of pure vegetable matter, which should be comparatively free from nitrogen, as this element would unduly stimulate its solution, and the consequent rapid growth of the grass; this is not desirable. All mud is not muck, as the word is used by agriculturists. Many men, failing to note the distinction, have spent their labor on worthless material, as the boy did who mistook the pignut for the walnut, and gathered his bag full. No man who ever tried pure vegetable muck from the swamp was ever disappointed, and, if he mixed with it a bushel of salt and a barrel of lime to three cords, he obtained as good a material as he could possibly put upon the land to promote the growth of blue grass and white clover. Perhaps the best way to do this is to make the salt into a brine, slack the lime with the brine and then incorporate the powdered hydrate of lime with the dried muck, which will be greatly improved if it has lain exposed to alternate freezing and thawing during the winter.

If the subsoil is a bowlder clay or hard-pan, the easiest and cheapest method of loosening it up is by deep ploughing, running the plough three times in the same furrow if necessary, and by this means a depth of two feet or more can be reached, and the grass will be enabled to stand the drouth exceedingly well, more especially if the land be underdrained as recommended. After the