6o THE COMPLETE GARDEN 



except on golf courses, where the fairways and greens are maintained 

 regardless of normal cost. 



Little experimenting has been done in the far south to determine 

 individual types or combinations of types of northern grasses which 

 will thrive best under these climatic conditions both during the winter 

 months and the summer months. 



Types of Grasses for Lawns. There are three groups of grasses 

 which are used for the development of lawns in the far south (through- 

 out Georgia, Alabama, and Florida). The first group consists of the 

 more or less native grasses, Bermuda grass, St. Augustine grass, and 

 blanket or carpet grass. These grasses will not make a perfect turf 

 as a "perfect turf" is known in the northern states. They grow 

 vigorously and spread rapidly when the temperature does not fall 

 below 50 or 55 degrees. The second group, of which Ross's Southern 

 Mixture is typical, is composed of types of northern grasses, such as 

 orchard grass, Rhode Island bent, redtop, and a small portion of 

 Italian rye, which as a result of experiments have produced good 

 turf on southern lawns. The third group is made up of Italian rye, 

 which germinates quickly and produces a green turf and lives for but 

 a short period during the cooler winter months. It burns out quickly 

 during the hot summer months. 



Types of Soils. In the preparation and development of lawn 

 areas, especially on virgin soil, the land must be cleared and the stumps 

 removed. It is preferable that stumps should either be pulled out 

 by tractor or team, chopped out, or in the instance of pine lands, they 

 should be burned out. The operation of blasting stumps, in order to 

 remove them, leaves a considerable hole, which, when filled with loose 

 soil, however thoroughly tamped, may cause a depression in the lawn 

 on account of later settling. After the land is cleared and the stumps 

 are removed, the lawn is brought to an even grade, and unless the soil 

 is a rich yellow " topsoil " sand, it is advisable to spread a layer of muck, 

 averaging from two to four inches in depth, over the entire lawn area. 

 A deeper covering of muck would be better. The cost of excessive 

 "mucking" is often the determining factor. This muck, which usually 

 comes from the swamps, should be selected with great care. Not 

 all so-called "muck" soil in swamps is adapted for use on lawns. 

 It is often the case that swamp muck put on a high, dry, and sandy 



