QUESTION DRAWER. 



i6' 



stems that quickly fill up any vacant spaces 

 between the grass plants and thus prevent 

 the growth of weeds. White clover is 

 generally used in making' a lawn, as it 

 grows close to the ground and fills up all 

 spaces not occupied by the grass roots. 



While spring is the best time in which to 

 seed a new lawn, it may be done at any 

 time if the proper conditions of moisture 

 can be obtained. A very large amount of 

 manure or fertilizer and a moist condition 

 of the soil will enable one to seed a lawn 

 successfully at almost any time of the year, 

 but these conditions are not so certainly 

 secured at any other time as in spring. In 

 fall seeding, unless done very early, the 

 young plantlets are likely to be thrown out 

 by frosts and a second seeding be required 

 in the spring. Another reason why spring 

 is better than summer for seeding is that 

 weed seeds do not grow so readily and 

 abundantly at this time. Coarse stable 

 manure should never be used upon the sur- 

 face of the land because it encourages the 

 growth of weeds ; but if turned deeply 

 under, nothing can be better to hold the 

 moisture in the soil and encourage deep 

 rooting of the grasses. 



The amount of seed to be used will 

 depend somewhat upon the season when 

 sown and the probable amount of weed 

 seeds that will germinate with the grass 

 seed. When sown in April, May or Sep- 

 tember, less seed should be used than if 

 sown in June, July, or August, and more 

 seed than when it is comparatively free 

 from such pests. 



It is always best to use an abundance of 

 seed, as there may be some uncertainty of 

 its all germinating. Perhaps the quantity 

 per acre that will give the best results 

 under the average conditions is two bushels 

 of bent grass, i. e., red top or its varieties, 

 two bushels of June grass and ten pounds 

 of white clover. One half of this quantity 

 would be sufficient if it was all certain to 



germinate and if no weed seeds started 

 into growth. 



After the land has been made perfectly 

 smooth and fine by raking, rolling and 

 re-raking, the seed should be divided into 

 two or more lots. The first lot is then 

 sown in strips or lands, as evenly 

 over the surface as possible, and then 

 raked in, taking care not to move the soil 

 from place to place, thus bunching up the 

 grass seed with it. The second lot of seed 

 is then sown in strips crossing the land in 

 the opposite direction from the first sowing, 

 thus securing the most even distribution of 

 the seed possible. 



A rake with long teeth set about two 

 inches apart is better than the common 

 iron-toothed garden rake. If nothing 

 better can be obtained, the common wooden 

 hay rake will be found to work well. 



It is the general practice to roll the 

 ground with the garden roller after the seed 

 is sown, but in extremely hot and dry 

 weather, while the soil may be more thor- 

 oughly firmed about the seed by rolling, the 

 smooth rolled surface leaves the young 

 seedling so much exposed to the action of 

 burning sun and drying winds that grass 

 often does better if the surface is not rolled 

 at all." 



Potatoes Too Small. 



I2IO. Sir, — My soil seems very rich and everj-- 

 thin^ grows well except potatoes and they are very 

 small ; what can I put on my ground to increase 

 their size? It has been enriched from the barn- 

 yard every year. D. Law. 



Probably our correspondent has used too 

 much stable manure. The best growers 

 advise no stable manure for the potato, 

 unless it be the year preceding the crop ; 

 for they say it lessens the crop and predis- 

 poses to rot. Better try superphosphate in 

 the hill at the rate of say 200 lbs. per acre, 

 raked into the surface soil just before 

 planting, and just before the last hoeing 

 sprinkle with wood ashes. 



