The Surroundings of the Farm Home 



2061 



plish this, although some handwork may be necessary about the edges. 

 The surface as it recedes from the house need not be smooth and perfect. 

 A gently undulating surface may be desirable and by many persons is 

 thought to be more interesting and country-like. A good test is whether 

 the grassed surface may be readily cut with a hand mower. Perhaps the 

 yard may be too large for its entire area to be hand-mowed; if this is 

 the case, that part nearest the house, 

 and which may be used as an out- 

 door sitting-room, should at least 

 be kept trim. No matter how the 

 turf is cut, the grades of the lawn 

 will always be apparent, and the 

 smoother the surface the more easy 

 will be its care. 



If slopes are needed on either side 

 of walks or driveways, a strip of 

 level surface two or three feet wide 

 at least should parallel them, and 

 from these levels the slopes should tend up or down by broad and easy 

 curves. Further, the curve at the base of these — or, in fact, of any slope 

 — should always be broader than at the top, so that the bank will be 

 stable and will not appear top-heavy. 



, After all, a main consideration comes in the remarkably greater ease in 

 caring for a yard that is well graded, and of which all rough banks have 

 been changed to smooth turf and easily mowed slopes. 



Fig. 215. EASY GRADES ARE IMPORTANT 



Passage to and from house and yard should be 

 almost as easy as from one room to another within 

 the house 



MAKING THE LAWN 



The lawn is of foremost importance, and a good lawn is more beautiful 

 than any other single feature. Neither shrubs, flowers, nor house will 

 look well unless set off by lawn space. 



The ground for a lawn should be prepared by the usual method of deep 

 plowing and harrowing, or, on small areas spading and raking. Even 

 on larger places it is necessary to use the spade and the rake about the 

 edges and in corners. Where the soil is poor, it should be improved. To 

 13 low under a heavy turf, to grow and plow under one or more cover crops, 

 or to work in barnyard manure at any time, will improve the soil to a 

 good depth. The cover crops and the cultivation will also eliminate the 

 weeds. If tile drains are necessary, they should be nearer together and 

 closer to the surface than for field drainage. The grass will be as good 

 as the preparation of the soil has been thorough, and there is no better 

 way to combat weeds than by establishing a healthy and dense turf. 



Any soil will be better for the addition of humus, which may come from 



