1879.] 



AND HORTICULTURIST. 



195 



ing condiUon, except in very dry weather; after 

 being well pounded it will need no further care, 

 besides cutting and rolling. 



Grass seed may be sown any time from April 

 to October, avoiding very dry weather. Before 

 sowing it should be well mixed with earth or coal 

 ashes, previously passed through a tine sieve and 

 then made slightly damp. From three to five 

 bushels of seed will be required to an acre. 

 After planting, rake lightly and roll thoroughly. 

 The cost is much less than for sodding, and it 

 will be quite as satisfactory in its results. 



It is usual to mix with the seed either oats or 

 rye, especially in the Summer months, so that 

 the grain shall protect what is supposed to be 

 the weaker growing grass. It would be as reason- 

 able to plant corn to protect the grain. In prac- 

 tice, the grass seed will be quite able to take 

 care of itself, and if well rolled will soon make 

 a good sod. 



Whether to be sown or sodded, the ground 

 should be first properly graded, manured well, 

 dug or ploughed, and raked smooth. Whenever 

 any hollows are found they should be filled in 

 with a light soil, sowed with grass seed and then 

 rolled. 



Lawn grass should always be cut before it ap- 

 pears to need it. The cuttings are then too 

 short to I'ake, and will make a dressing for the 

 sod which will be a decided benefit to it. The 

 mower cannot be used too frequently, from eai'ly 

 in the Spring until the last thing in the Fall ; in 

 fact, whenever the ground is not frozen, it 

 should be used at least once every week. The 

 roller should also often be used, especially in the 

 Spring as soon as the frost is out of the ground, 

 and again after heavy rains. The grass should 

 be trimmed occasionally around the trees and 

 bushes, and along the edges of paths and flower 

 beds, and wherever the mower will not reach. 

 The ordinary sheep shears is a handy tool for 

 this purpose. 



It is a false idea that frequent cutting is expen- 

 sive. Besides being the only way to maintain a 

 perfect lawn, it will be found to be the cheapest 

 in the end. The aggregate labor and time re- 

 quired to cut every week in ordinary weather, 

 and twice a week when the grass is growing lux- 

 uriantly in warm, wet seasons, will be less than 

 when cut every three or four weeks. In the 

 former case, after going over the ground with 

 the mower, the work is finished, and with very 

 little labor; in the latter, the grass must be re- 

 peatedly cut and raked alternately until an even 



cut is obtained, and it will not then have a good 

 appearance. The lawn should never need touch- 

 ing with a rake after the first cleaning in the 

 Spring. If the cuttings are ever long enough 

 to gather with a rake, it is certain that the work 

 was not done at the proper time. 



Of whatever pattern selected, a lawn mower 

 must be light enough to handle easily, and be ' 

 able to cut within a few inches of trees and other 

 objects. The ability to cut long grass, claimed 

 for some machines, is of doubtful advantage, as 

 it encourages neglect. If the lower blade is 

 kept well up, so as to just touch the revolving 

 knives, it will keep itself sharp, and be in as 

 good order at the end of the season as at the be- 

 ginning, and will never require grinding. They 

 should be used to cut not more than two-thirds 

 of their width, and there will then be no un- 

 sightly lines of uncut grass. With a little man- 

 agement they will cut on terraces of any slope 

 as well as on a level surface. For cutting weeds 

 there should be a suitable knife, with a sheath 

 attached to the handle of the machine. 



Weeds are all unsightly, and yet some will ap- 

 pear in the best kept lawns. Among the most 

 troublesome ones, are the sorrel and wild violet. 

 All kinds should be pulled out whenever seen ; 

 it is generally sufficient to cut the root just below 

 the surface of the ground. Sorrel is a very diffi- 

 cult weed to get rid of on account of its under- 

 ground spreading branches. The violet, when it 

 once obtains a foothold, is exceedingly annoying, 

 and can only be exterminated by constant atten- 

 tion. If overlooked for one season, the ground 

 will be filled with seed, not from its blue flowers, 

 but from inconspicuous ones matured under- 

 ground. Tlie fall grass with its long creeping 

 stems, is sometimes considered as a weed. It 

 can only be managed by treating it as grass, 

 mowing it frequently and keeping the rake from 

 it. It is at its best when other grasses are burned 

 out with the hot Summer sun, and often gives 

 the lawn a bright green appearance which it 

 would not have without it. When garlic is once 

 introduced it is impossible to eradicate it, but 

 as it is very similar to grass in its color and style 

 of growth, it can scarcely be considered as an 

 objectionable weed. Moles in a lawn are as bad 

 as the most obnoxious weed, and should not be 

 tolerated. Being exclusively insectivorous it is 

 supposed to be wrong to destroy them. They 

 can be caught with a little patience, and, if it is 

 really desirable to keep them alive, they can be 

 sent to the Zoological Garden, or to the Society 



