Miscellaneous. ^27 



To each color he has given a name, and many of the rare ones sell for 50 

 and 75 cents apiece, though the price of most is 10 cents. A rich Cana- 

 dian banker, named Groflf, has gladioli as his hobby, and Grofif's hybrids, 

 now upon the market, are said to be magnificent. He does not keep the 

 colors separate or name them. It is said that for some of his parent bulbs 

 he gave $5 apiece. Burpee offers good bulbs for 30 and 40 cents a dozen. 

 Plant in May or June, four inches deep. When the spike begins to run 

 up, be sure to tie it to a stake to keep the wind from blowing it over. — 

 Practical Fruit Grower. 



THE ART OF LAWN MAKING. 



Four things are required to make a good lawn : time, soil, climate and 

 intelligent labor. In England they have a saying that it requires a hun- 

 dred years to make a lawn, and two hundred years to make a good lawn. 

 In this country, where we are trying to make suburban homes while you 

 wait, and where a month or two seems a very long time, people are too im- 

 patient. It speaks well for their ambition that they want lawns as soon 

 as they move into their houses, but they are really expecting too much. At 

 the very best, it requires no less than three years to make a presentable 

 lawn, and five or ten years to make what we uncritical Americans call a 

 good lawn. 



Many lawns fail for lack of soil. It is well known that our dwelling 

 houses are often built in most unlikely places. Building lots are old ex- 

 cavations or "fills." It is too much to expect to found a good lawn on a 

 geological formation of empty tomato cans. A rejected dump of coal 

 ashes is not a favorable site. Even an ordinary sand-bank cannot be trans- 

 muted into a good lawn — at least, not without great expense of time, labor 

 and money. Many suburban lawns are disappointing for this fundamental 

 reason. In many cases good soil must be brought in. 



MAKING A NEW LAV^^N. 



If the soil has to be brought in, it should be fairly stiff, though well 

 drained. A good preparation of clay with just enough humus to give it 

 life gives the best results. Sand is to be avoided. 



Whatever the nature of the soil, it must be deeply stirred, party be- 

 cause it will need good drainage and partly because a lawn cannot be re- 

 plowed frequently after it is established. If the drainage is not perfect, 

 it will be well to put in stone or tile drains, although there is some danger 

 of their being choked with the roots and weeds. 



