7-97-5] The Lawn Problem in the South 163 



100 pounds per acre, a mixture of equal parts of Kentucky 

 blue grass, creeping bent grass, sheep fescue, and perennial 

 rye grass, and cover with a compact cedar brush, or by raking 

 again by hand. The rye grass will grow rapidly and will 

 give a good effect the first winter before the other slower 

 growing grasses make much show. The blue grass, if adapted 

 to the situation, will grow stronger and denser each year, 

 while the rye grass will pretty much all disappear after two 

 or three years. The fescue and bent grasses are added in ex- 

 pectation that they will establish themselves in certain spots 

 to which the blue grass is not adapted. [N^either is so good for 

 lawns as blue grass and where the conditions are just right 

 for the latter the fescue and bent grasses may be omitted. 



In early spring when the ground is not too wet run a 

 roller over the lawn, and begin to use a mower as soon as the 

 grass is high enough to cut. The rye grass will need cutting 

 once or twice during the late fall. Look out for moles, and 

 kill them. Water frequently during the first summer, and 

 take out the weeds by hand. In October give another top 

 dressing of cotton seed meal or bone meal. Look out for 

 thin and poor spots, and sow more seed after scratching the 

 surface with a rake, giving extra fertilization to these places. 

 This will give the lawn a start. Its successful continuance 

 will require an equal amount of attention and care. 



In watering the lawn do not sprinkle lightly every day, 

 but water thoroughly every four or five days. In large 

 lawns it is a good plan to water a part every day, getting all 

 over in four or five days. The amount of water necessary 

 varies of course with soil, shade, and season, and must be 

 determined by watching the grass. 



The worst lawn weeds are the perennial ones, certain of 

 which are constantly appearing even in the best kept lawns. 

 They must be watched for, and kept out by hand. The worst 

 through nearly all of our territory are lance-leaved plantain 

 {Plantago lanceolata), smut grass (Sporobolus indicus), and 

 the clovers. Locally, wild onions and nut grass are pestifer- 

 ous. 



