42 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 
special attention will be paid to lawns for wet, sandy, clay 
and shady locations, as well as those for putting greens, fair 
greens, etc. 
TIME TO PLANT. 
_ _The greatest difference of opinion exists as to the relative 
advantages of spring and fall planting of lawns. Both 
periods have been repeatedly shown to bring successful re- 
sults, and it is largely a matter of the weather conditions 
existing after the putting in of the seed which determines 
‘failure or success. If one could be certain of the kind of 
winter or spring which was to follow the making of the lawn, 
it would be comparatively simple to decide upon the best 
time to plant. As it is, seeding should depend upon conven- 
ience, and chances must be taken on the result. In general, — 
it may be said that(spring planting is more certain than fall 
planting, unless, owl her conditions, seeding has. 
to be delayed too long. Drought and heat are hard on young 
plants which have not had time to form sufficient roots. It 
is not advisable to sow seed during a dry period either in 
spring or fall. A careful preparation of the land which in- 
sures ready germination will sometimes offset the effect of 
limited dry periods, but artificial watering should always be 
resorted to if sufficient moisture is not present to force rapid 
growth. 
WATERING. 
After a lawn is established, more harm than good is often 
done by the methods of watering usually emp oyed. Mere 
sprinkling has a tendency to cause the roots of the grass to 
grow close to the surface of the soil, and consequently the 
plants must be almost continuously watered in order to k 
them alive. Land properly prepared in the first place will 
induce deep root growth and, except in unusually dry sea- 
sons, no water whatever is necessary. When watering must 
be done it should consist of thoroughly soaking the earth 
as deeply as it is dry. Another objection to light sprinkling 
is that it induces the growth of wild grasses, which cannot 
thrive under as dry conditions as the standard lawn varieties. 
TOP DRESSING. 
The most careful and thorough preparation of the soil 
originally will not obviate the necessity for an occasional top 
——* of fertilizer. Stable manure, thoroughly rotted, is 
admirable for this purpose. Care should be taken, however, 
to see that it is so completely decomposed that it contains no 
