EXPERIMENT STATldN BULLETINS. 381 



STARTING A LAWN. 



Circular No. 20. 



There is nothing in the decoration of the home grounds that is so 

 pleasing and beautifying as a good lawn. 



CONSTRUCTION. 



Soil. — The soil for a laAvn should be of good texture containing plenty 

 of plant food and enough humus to retain moisture. A strong clay 

 loam or a sandy loam with a clay subsoil most nearly approaches these 

 conditions. When a lawn is to be constructed upon light sandy soil, a 

 top dressing of about two inches of clay with a heavy application of 

 well rotted manure should be mixed with the first three to four inches 

 of sand. Frequently, in building a house, the soil excavated from the 

 cellar is spread about covering the good top soil with a poor sub-soil. 

 This sub-soil is of poor texture, contains little available plant food 

 and is an extremely ])oor soil for lawais. Where it is necessary to use 

 this sub-soil for filling, the top soil should be first removed to be later 

 used as a surface dressing. 



Grading. — In the grading of a lawn, first endeavor to obtain good sur- 

 face drainage, see that there is a slight slope away from the buildings; 

 that there are no low pockets where water may stand during the winter 

 and spring, and that the area as a whole, is either naturally or ar- 

 tificially well drained. 



Except in some very special cases, a level lawn should not be con- 

 structed. It lacks naturalness and decreases the apparent extent of the 

 lawn. In grading, endeavor to preserve the slight natural slopes and 

 curves of the land, remembering that nature never produces perfectly 

 level surfaces. This part of the grading should be carefully studied and 

 considered before starting the work. The way in which it is done will 

 determine whether a graceful, pleasing, natural lawn is secured or a stiff, 

 restrained, unsatisfactory one is the result. 



After the general slopes have been established, the land may be har- 

 rowed if necessary and any small uneven places leveled ofif. 



If the land has been allowed to remain over winter in the rough 

 condition, the soil will have become well settled by spring and will be 

 ready for the final work before seeding. Pick off all the stones which 

 have come to the surface during the winter and then go over the land 

 with a shallow harrowing or raking. If it can then be rolled, the smsill 

 uneven spots will become very apparent and they can then be leveled 

 off with a hand rake. By re-rolling and re-raking the land in this way, 

 the surface can be made as smooth and even as desired. 



Fertilizers. — Well decom[)osed stable manure is the best general pur- 

 pose fertilizer for lawns. It contains all the chemical elements essen- 

 tial for plant growth and adds humus to the soil, thus making it more 



