GRASSES FOR THE LAWN. 815 



mixed, a little perennial rye grass, wliich is no benefit to it, and 

 a very little Timothy, which would be better to omit, and a 

 small amount of sweet vernal, which apparently is the annual 

 variety and of no value. The three leading ingredients are the 

 June grass, bent grass, and white clover. 



It Avas the freest from weeds of any mixture examined. It is 

 sold for 25 cents per quart or $5.50 per bushel. The same house 

 sells June grass for ^2.25 per bushel, bent grass for 14.00 per 

 bushel, M'liite clover for 40 cents per pound. 



The preceding tables and the remarks ludow ea(;h sliould be 

 .studied in connection with Avhat follows. 



At the Agricultural College, numerous plats in various sea- 

 sons and soils, mixed and separate, have been tried, and those 

 grasses of most value are June grass and a small red top. White 

 clover often thrives well with these, but it varies much with the 

 change of seasons. Sod taken from a rich old pasture or the 

 roadside usually makes excellent lawn as soon as laid, but it is 

 too expensive for a large plat. The main grasses making such a 

 turf are those last mentioned, June grass and red top, with per- 

 haps some white clover. 



In making a lawn too little stress is usually placed on thor- 

 ough trenching or subsoiling and enriching the land. The sur- 

 face should be harrowed and hand-raked till it is in the finest 

 condition. ^ 



With the writer's experience, having tested for some years 

 over two hundred kinds of grasses and clovers, both native and 

 foreign, for ^Michigan and places with similar climates, he would 

 sow about two bushels of seeds (in the chaff) of June grass, Poa 

 pratensis, L., and two bushels of some small bent grass, known 

 as Rhode Island Bent, Brown Bent, or Creeping Bent, or as red 

 top. The latter grasses vary much and are tisually much mixed^ 

 iw they were in all the samples above examined. 



A few ounces of white clover may be added, if the owner pre- 



